One Split Second
by realmsoffreedom
Summary: Crunching metal. Flashing lights. Unbearable pain. One split second will forever change the lives of the Anubis residents. An accident - secrets - lies - there's no end to the drama - and fate's cruel hands haven't played with the ten of them for the last time.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi all. This is a repost story from my luvingbtr account- it was called _Broken Pieces _on there. At the time of writing it- I was inexperienced, and honestly- a crappy writer in general, now that I look back. I'd like to take this opportunity to redo the entire story, and I hope you'll enjoy it. The first chapter is pretty short, and there's definitely a reason for it. Also note- I ship Peddie, Fabina, Amfie, Jara, and Moy. Those are the couples in this story- and they will be endgame. **

* * *

"We're going out, Trudy! Be back in an hour!"

Seventeen-year-old Edison Sweet slides into the driver's seat of one of the school's cars, a giddy smile forming across his features. Car doors slam on either sides, and his grin grows even more- if possible.

His hand shifts the car into drive, and they're off- a mixture of groans and excited shouts rising from the backseat. Mick, Jerome, and Alfie didn't seem too happy about going on this excursion, but it is important- at least to Eddie. Both his and Fabian's nerves are rolling- specifically because they're on their way to a jewelry store.

As Amber calls them- the Peddie and Fabina two-year anniversaries are steadily approaching, and both Eddie and Fabian are buying their significant others a gift in the jewelry department. Mick, Jerome, and Alfie have come along because all three of them have bought their girlfriends necklaces or rings for their 1-year anniversaries, and they have experience in the jewelry department.

"Mara and I have a date! This isn't fair!" Jerome's shout rises above Mick and Alfie's unstaunchable bickering.

"Suck it up, Jerry. You can live without her for an hour," Eddie calls back, turning a bit in his seat to grin at the pouting lad.

"Eddie!" Fabian hisses. "The road?!"

"Right, sorry," Eddie mutters, focusing his gaze on the unfolding path in front of him. A wave of annoyance flows through him- Fabian is the most irritating person to have sitting in the passenger's seat. Talk about backseat driving, more like passenger seat driving. Fabian doesn't shut up- not even on a good day, and it's misery sitting with him.

He doesn't mind it- especially not today, because Patricia is all he can think of. Her radiant form paints pictures in his mind- engrained pictures- like a permanent photo album. He loves her more than anything he's ever laid eyes on- and he wouldn't trade her for the entire world.

His foot lowers onto the brake pedal, and the car comes to a stop at the red light looming in front of them.

"Eddie!"

Fabian's tone is worried now, and Eddie sighs, glancing at the guy sitting next to him. "What is it this time?!"

"Look in front of you! Someone ran the light and is headed straight for us!"

* * *

Crunching metal.

Flashing lights.

Unbearable pain.

Eddie doesn't know how he's still conscious, but he feels himself drifting away. The car hit them full head-on, effectively pushing them back into the car behind them. In a matter of moments, his grin is immortalized- as he can't force his facial muscles to move. Pain receptors flash everywhere, and he just hopes this is a dream.

He'll wake up in his bed- Patricia curled into his side, with no memory of any of this, right? This didn't happen. The girls aren't going to receive the most terrifying phone call of their lives. But the truth is hard to swallow.

His head hurts so badly- processing the tiniest thing is excruciating. He can't move- he can't breathe, and the state of his friends is unknown. The thought of them doesn't even cross his mind, until he hears a loud groan from what was the backseat. He doesn't know who it is- nor does he even know if his friends are _alive._

All he sees is a blurring distortion of light, and all he feels is extreme pain- and darkness clawing at his body. _We'll help you, Eddie. We'll take the pain away. Join us. Join ussss_. His hallucinated mind turns the darkness into ghost-like humans, beckoning him with evil, cold, outstretched fingers.

His decision to join them requires no consultation.

* * *

**Thoughts? I'd love to know your honest opinions. If you couldn't already tell, this story is going to be OOC, so if you don't like, don't read. Anyway- I hope the first chapter was enjoyable, and I'd love to know what you thought.**

**-Neha**


	2. Chapter 2

Patricia's attention is focused on a razor. The gleaming metal weapon sits in her palm- as she continues to turn it over in her hands, contemplating the obvious. Should she cut? There's no point in thinking about it- it's quite obvious that the blade will be embedded in her skin- within a two-minute timespan.

It isn't like she started like this. She didn't just wake up one day with the thought- 'Oh, I know! Let me slice into my skin, and carve myself up like a Christmas ham!'. That never happened- but over time, the depression took over. It was mainly the feeling of worthlessness- as she believed- and still does believe- that Eddie could do so much better, if he wasn't forcing himself to be with her.

Eddie was one of the very few Americans at the school. Well, he and Nina, basically. He has so many opportunities- there are so many bitches that want to be his girlfriend. But instead, he picked her. And she doesn't even know why.

She needs to pull herself together- according to her parents- and she's not exactly sure how to do that. What does it even mean? Disregard her emotions, and continue on- pretending to be normal? She doesn't mind pretending- she's no stranger to acting- she's actually quite the good actress.

The blade gleams with release, and Patricia wants nothing more than that. But she thinks of Eddie, and his heartbroken expression- if he were to find out.

And that gives her the courage to refrain.

* * *

Nina bursts into their room, eyes wide- cheeks stained with tears. "Patricia!"

Patricia looks up, her eyes widening at Nina's pitiful appearance. "What's wrong?!"

"The boys," Niall whispers. "They were in a bad accident on the way to wherever they were going…"

Patricia's blood runs cold. She stands up so quickly, oxygen-deprived and terrified. It feels like Nina just knocked the wind out of her with a simple sentence. Eyes locked on her friend, Patricia pushes back burning tears, looking for answers. "What the _hell _happened?!"

Nina swallows hard, trying to calm her incessant shaking. "Someone ran a red light and slammed into them, which pushed them back into the car behind them. They're on their way to the hospital right now- Trudy was immediately called. She said we could leave right away."

"I…I'll be ready in a few minutes," Patricia chokes out; desperately praying she'll leave. She can't let Nina see her at her worst.

Patricia moves shakily- actions being performed in short spurts. To her, everything is spinning. She still hasn't wrapped her head around the news. Processing the fact that Eddie was just in an accident- and is definitely injured, possibly even _dead_- well, let's just say it isn't the easiest.

She grabs her phone and heads downstairs, but the sight there is one of panic and fear. The other four girls wait, none of them close to calm statures. Nina is fidgeting, wringing her hands nervously. Amber is sobbing- muttering Alfie's name in between cries. Mara has a blank stare etched across her features, and Joy has tears running down her cheeks, looking around- wondering what to do with herself.

"Girls," Trudy says- voice wavering. "Victor has allowed us to all go to the hospital. He said he'd come by later, but he's notifying the boys' parents. Come along- a car is waiting out front for us."

* * *

The waiting room is mournful.

Nina curls farther against the uncomfortable chair, blinking heavily to clear the burning tears from her eyes. It's unreal- almost. One second, the boys are fine- they just went to hang out- and the next- they're clinging to life in a hospital. How had things gotten _so bad, so fast?_

Fabian needs to be okay. The thought of going on with him makes her physically ill. He's everything- in her eyes, and going on without him would be like living without emotion. She needs him- especially right now- considering her insecurities and fear. He doesn't know her secret- no one does- to be honest, but once he does find out, he'll hopefully heal her. She feels damaged- like Fabian is her only savior.

Nina shivers- though it isn't exactly cold in the hospital. She doesn't like the idea of being a damsel in distress- but life hasn't exactly been kind to her in the past few days. In fact- it's been anything but- more cruel than anything.

After what seems like an eternity- a doctor steps out into the waiting room. There are a few splotches of blood on his scrubs- and the mere sight makes Nina's stomach turn.

"Mick Campbell?"

To be entirely honest- Nina isn't very happy to hear Mick's name. Sure- Mick is a good friend and she wants to know he's alright, but he's not Fabian. And Fabian is all that's on her mind right now.

Joy however- stands quickly, and Nina watches her reach up to wipe her eyes. Trudy stands beside her, and they both walk over to the middle-aged man. She assumes he's telling them Mick's diagnosis- and from Joy's audible gasp- it doesn't seem to be a good one. Nina watches Joy nod, trembling in fear and anxiety.

Both of them turn, and Joy walks back over. She comes to a halt just in front of where Nina's sitting- Patricia is next to her- and heaves a sobbing sigh. "Shattered left ankle, broken right leg, sprained right wrist, three bruised ribs, and a pretty horrid concussion. And he said Mick was probably the luckiest."

"Oh, Joy…" Patricia stands and embraces the shorter girl, allowing Joy to bury her face in her shoulder. "I'm so sorry…"

Joy pulls away quickly, giving Patricia a small nod. "He said I could see Mick for a bit, so I wanna go. I'll text you."

She gives them a small, watery smile, before turning and following the man in white down a series of hallways.

* * *

A million thoughts are running through Joy's mind, as the doctor finally stops at a white door. Room 683. He turns to her- expression grim. "Go ahead in. There's not really a time limit- but if he does wake up- you might need to get out for a bit. Speaking of- if he does show signs of regaining consciousness, press the 'call nurse' button. We need to check him over- because of the concussion."

He gives her a slight nod, before turning and walking in the other direction. Joy takes a deep breath, sighing to herself. _It can't be that bad, can it?_

There's only one way to find out- and the door is pushed open.

Joy stares.

Mick looks _awful_, and that's putting it lightly. The poor guy looks broken and miserable- it truly breaks her heart. His left ankle and right leg are wrapped in plaster- the cast on his ankle goes up to mid-calf and the cast on his leg stops just above his knee. Gauze is covering his right arm- it stops just before his elbow. A thin hospital gown covers his pale, muscled form. She knows that there are bandages under his gown- covering the cuts, bruises, and his ribs. His head is centered on the pillows- and his left arm is connected to an IV. A clear bag of fluid is connected to the tubing- _pain meds,_ Joy guesses.

She feels another tear run down her cheek, as she walks substantially closer to his bedside. There are chairs next to his bed, and she takes a seat, stretching out to grasp his uninjured hand in both of hers. Smiling sadly, she presses her lips to the limb, her heart clenching with emotion.

"I love you."

* * *

**Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. Please leave your thoughts- I'd love to know what your opinions were.**

**-Neha**


	3. Chapter 3

**I thought I'd make something clear- each of the girls is going to struggle with inner turmoil. You guys do know Patricia's, Amber's, Mara's, Joy's, and _maybe_ Nina's. Well- you'll find out Amber's, Mara's, and Joy's by the end of this chapter. Point is- I've struggled with everything I am putting them through- the only thing I have not been through is Nina's problem. That being said- it will be quite graphic, as I know what this is all like. Heavy trigger warning- please be aware of it. Anyway- enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

Amber doesn't know what to feel. It's like a tidal wave of every sad emotion possible- has slammed into her, eliciting sobs from her body. She can't bear to think of her beau in a hospital bed- and if Joy just said Mick was the luckiest- it has to mean that the other four are hurt even worse. And even Mick's injuries are far too serious.

She leans against Patricia, finding solace in the older girl's warmth. She'd much prefer it to be Alfie holding her, but he's in surgery…clinging to life. Just thinking those words is utterly painful.

She hates to admit it- but Alfie is her everything. It may not seem that way- considering his habits and interests contrast hers in every way possible- but he's really sweet, and he's loved her for so long. She finally loves him back- unconditionally- and coincidentally, he gets into a life-changing accident. Is this fate's way of breaking them up? Or is it a test to see if she really does love him unconditionally? He'll be injured, broken, and definitely in a lot of pain.

If this is a test- she plans to ace it. Opposites attract, right? And Alfie brings out the better side in her. He shows her how to have fun, how to act crazy and not care what people think of you, and how to love yourself no matter the shape.

Truthfully- Amber doesn't love her body. In fact- she's been starving herself- mainly because of all the fat glued to her stomach. She used to be as thin as Nina, but now, she's a size bigger. Nina used to share clothes with her, and vice-versa, but now- Nina's swimming in her clothes, and she's too big for the other girl's.

If that's not a sign that she needs to loose weight, Amber doesn't know what is.

* * *

"I don't know what to say, Mick," Joy whispers. "You can't hear me, and I don't want to feel like I'm talking to myself. But honestly- this is scary, love. It's terrifying- watching you- motionless- in this bed. I can barely see you breathing and it concerns me. I love you, and I don't know how this happened. Fate is cruel, but if I know one thing about you, it's that you are a fighter. You've always been a fighter, and you always will be."

She sighs heavily, bringing his hand up to her cheek. "Fight this. Please, Mick. Fight this for us. For _me_. I need you, and I don't even think you realize how much I do." She takes a deep breath and exhales, closing her eyes. "The truth is- I've been depressed. It's been almost a month- and I thought it would go away, that I could do this on my own, but I can't. It's only getting worse, and the feeling of wanting to die is stronger."

"You're the only reason I'm still here," Joy whispers, as tears begin to leak from her eyelids. "Don't change that. Come back to me, Mick. _Please_."

* * *

Anxiety is fun, isn't it?

Contemplating the worst, considering every word before it falls from your lips, worrying that if someone doesn't reply to you- they hate you, or they're ignoring you. It's a great thing.

In Mara's case, the worrying is hyperactive. What if Jerome decided to do this on purpose? What if he hates her? The thoughts are irrational and crazy- but they were the first to go through her head when she received the news.

She may be quite intelligent- but that doesn't mean she doesn't have her flaws. Anxiety is one of them- Jerome _knows _that. Why would he worry her like this? Doesn't he know what this type of thing does to her?

She sits in a chair, trying to calm herself down. It doesn't help that Trudy is next to her- looking at her worriedly, constantly asking if she's alright. That makes the situation worse, in retrospect. She just needs to know Jerome is okay- he's pulled through, and she can calm down.

It's been over an hour since they've arrived, and it's nearing fifteen minutes since Joy was taken to Mick's room. Mara semi-hates her. Though Mick is far from okay, Joy at least gets to _see_ him in the flesh, watch him breathe, and know- even though he's seriously injured- that he will pull through and eventually be okay.

She can't say the same about Jerome. Actually- that can't be said about Eddie, Fabian, or Alfie, either. She feels terrible for the other girls. Amber is still wiping tears from her cheeks, Nina is curled into the back of the hospital chair, staring at the ceiling, and Patricia's eyes are closed, but Mara knows she isn't asleep. She's seen a few tears roll down the older girl's cheeks, and it's obvious that she desires news. They all do.

The waiting limbo is painful. And Mara doesn't know how much longer she can take.

* * *

"Jerome Clarke?"

It's like God was listening to her qualms. Mara stands up so quickly it leaves her dizzy- well beyond anxious by now. Trudy stands next to her, and they both walk up to the man in front of them. The grim look in his eyes doesn't bode well with her, but Mara has a sliver of hope.

"Michael Parker. Jerome pulled out of surgery fine, but that doesn't mean his injuries are anything short of serious. He was sitting on the right side- in the back, so he was one of the ones to take a bit more of a hit. He- and Mr. Lewis, actually. As for injuries- his left leg was very badly broken- surgery was needed to put his bones back into place. His right leg was smashed- from the knee below. His right arm was fractured, and he has a bad concussion- along with four bruised ribs. He is in pretty bad shape right now, but I can assure you that he will make a full recovery- though it will not be easy."

It's like someone has just dunked her in a pool of frigid water. Mara stares at the doctor in complete, paralyzing shock. She assumed Jerome would be injured- but she didn't anticipate it to be this bad. He's so broken- and she hasn't even seen him yet. That says quite a lot, and she isn't sure whether he'll be okay at this point. The doctor claimed he would be, but his prognosis doesn't seem good at all.

"Miss Jaffray? You would like to see him, correct?"

Mara looks up, nodding to Doctor Parker. He gives her a small smile. "Follow me."

She turns to where the other girls sit- muttering a couple words, before turning back around. She follows the doctor down a series of hallways, down in front of a room.

"Go ahead in," he says kindly. "If he wakes up, press the 'call nurse' button, and let the nurse know- that she should come find me."

He turns and walks back down the hallway, and Mara whirls back around to face the door. A gleaming 794 rests on the wood, and she sighs heavily. "Here goes nothing," she whispers to herself, pushing open the door.

* * *

**Thoughts? I will reveal Alfie's condition in chapter 4- I promise. Please let me know what you think!**

**-Neha**


	4. Chapter 4

**Short chapter, but necessary for progression. Trigger warning for self-harm.**

* * *

Mara wants to throw up.

Or turn around and run as far away from the room as she can get, because _that is not Jerome. _That cannot _possibly_ be her boyfriend.

The boy in the hospital bed is extremely pale- skin almost translucent. His left arm and both legs are casted- and there's a piece of gauze on his forehead- obviously covering a cut. However, there's blood seeping through the white gauze, and it makes Mara sick. A hospital gown is covering his thin frame, but he still looks absolutely horrid, and Mara doesn't know if she can do this.

But she doesn't run. She slides into a chair at his bedside, and grabs his uninjured hand. "Jerome…" A tear falls down her cheek and splashes onto his motionless hand, and that just makes her even sadder.

"I love you so much," she cries. "Why did this have to happen?"

"I hate this," Mara whispers. "I need you fully-healed, holding me, and tell me it's going to be okay. Telling me that _I'm_ going to be okay. I don't believe it anymore. I don't believe this. I can't keep pretending, Jerome. I'm going to fall apart."

* * *

"It's been two hours," Amber whispers sullenly. "This means bad news."

Patricia sighs. "I just want to know they're alive. Injury wise- it won't be good, but knowing they are alive will be quite reassuring."

"They don't deserve this," Nina whispers. "They don't deserve the agony that's going to come along with all of it."

"Well, it happened," Patricia grumbles. "We can't live in the world of 'they don't deserve it', and 'it never should've happened'. Both statements are true, but it happened, it's over, and we can't do anything to go back in time. All we can do is wait and see if they're okay."

"They have to be," Amber insists, tears filling her eyes once more. "I need Alfie…"

"I know," Nina says gently. "You need him like I need Fabian, Mara needs Jerome, Joy needs Mick, and Patricia needs Eddie. But all we can do now is wait. And hope."

Patricia scoffs. "Hope? When has hope done anything for us? If anything, it's ruined us. All it is, is a delusion. You guys are deluding yourselves into thinking everything will be sunshine and rainbows when we get news on the guys. News flash- it won't. Nothing will ever be the same again, and it's time you two started realizing it."

* * *

Patricia sighs, dragging her feet into one of the public restrooms. She didn't mean to snap at Nina and Amber- it just came out of nowhere. She's anxious, stressed, worried, and just plain upset- so there's no telling how her emotions are. It's like they're on a roller coaster, not knowing where to start or end.

She walks into one of the stalls and locks the door, sliding back against the wall. Her razor gleams with release, but she ignores it. She needs to be strong for Eddie, and she knows he wouldn't want her cutting.

He knows she used to cut, but he has no idea she relapsed. She remembers the exact day he found out. He looked heartbroken, as he lifted her wrist to his lips and kissed each cut. Then, he promised to never leave her- to help her through it. And slowly, she did manage to quit. She was clean for six months, but now, she's relapsed.

She needs the comfort Eddie exudes. Sure- she sounds sappy and needy and completely out of character, but this is her inner self coming out. In her eyes, Eddie exudes comfort wherever he goes. She could walk into a room and wrap her arms around him, and he'd pull her to his chest and nuzzle into her neck, silently asking if she's alright.

She just needs him. She can't fall apart on her own.

* * *

"Alfie Lewis?"

Amber's eyes widen, and she nods quickly, standing up in a rush. She glances over at Trudy, and her housemother gives her a reassuring smile, motioning toward the doctor. She makes no move to get up, so Amber assumes she can go by herself.

"I'm Alfie's girlfriend," she says shakily. "Is he okay?"

The doctor glances at his clipboard. "He pulled through surgery wonderfully- we're just worried because of the severity of his injuries. He smashed his right knee and ankle- we've put pins in to hold both together- he also fractured his left leg and right wrist, along with breaking three ribs and sustaining a concussion. Recovery's going to be hard and long for him, but we're certain he'll make a full recovery."

Amber blinks once- to make sure she's heard correctly. That is _way _worse than she even _fathomed_. Alfie…her precious beau is so broken, so damaged…it breaks her heart and shatters every part of her.

She's given every part of herself to Alfie, so she feels the pain, as she's led to his room. Nodding hazily at whatever crap the doctor says, she waits for him to walk away, before turning and opening the door.

* * *

A hand running through her straightened brunette locks is what startles Joy from her doze. Her head snaps up, and her heart stops.

Mick is gazing at her, a happy smile lacing his features. "Mick?!"

He chuckles. "Hey, love. Didn't wanna wake you."

"When did you wake up?!" She can't believe she's talking to him right now. She assumed he'd be unconscious for a lot longer. It's surreal.

"Little less than ten minutes ago, relax, Joy," he soothes.

"Are you in pain?" Joy asks worriedly, as she presses the call button.

Mick shakes his head. "Morphine works wonders. Now, can you come up here and cuddle with me?"

Joy hesitates. "I don't know…you're really banged up…what if I hurt you…?"

Mick's eyes bare an unwavering sense of honesty. "You could never hurt me, Joy. No matter what. Please, come here. This has obviously been high traumatic on you, and to be completely honest- you need this. Let me help you."

* * *

**Thoughts? You _will _find out about Eddie and Fabian in the next chapter, I promise. But Mick is awake now, so there's a good thing, I guess, compared to the angst level of this. Anyway- please leave me some reviews, they equal faster updates. :)**

**-Neha**


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I got no reviews on the last chapter...I know I'm updating every day, and it doesn't give you guys much of a chance to review, but I've gotten over 600 views on this story. The lack of reviews is kind of discouraging, and I'm not one of the authors to demand/beg for reviews, but I'd really like some more...I want to know how I'm doing with this- House of Anubis is a fandom I haven't written for since the last chapter of Broken Pieces was written, and that was in May of last year. I'm really rusty, and I'd love some feedback...please, guys, review this. That's my only wish. Thanks you all so much, and enjoy the chapter- not that it's at all happy (trigger warning for self-harm).**

* * *

A sob escapes as soon as Amber lays eyes on the one person that's kept her alive for the past year. He looks so broken, and she can't bear to look at his battered body- however, she also can't tear her eyes away from the hospital bed.

"Alfie…" she whimpers, walking up to his bedside and taking hold of his uninjured hand.

It's like she expects him to regain consciousness immediately, just from the touch of her hand, but that's obviously not what happens. She wants him to come back to her, but she doubts it'll be that easy. After all, nothing is ever that easy.

"I wish I could've told you all this before anything like this happened, Alfie," she whispers. "I never actually told you how much I love you. It seemed like I was always disgusted with you, but I really wasn't. It was all a mask, Alfie. I loved every thing you did to irritate me- every little thing made me smile. You were- and still are- the only person that can really make me genuinely happy. I don't love myself, and I think I'd be better off dead, but you make it easier to handle."

She takes a deep breath, releasing a soft sigh. "Starving isn't easy. Especially since you love food, and I feel like I'm betraying you every time I claim I'm not hungry. I just want to be pretty. I want to be pretty and thin for you, Alfie. And it's so hard, because everyone is getting mad at me for not eating, and all I want is to be enough for you."

"Willow loves you, Alfie," Amber chokes out. "She may be in Isis house, but I can see the way she looks at you in school. She loves you, and you two would look perfect together. Rather than me, who pretended you were an abomination for at least a year."

"I don't even know why you pretend you're happy with me. _I'm _the abomination, Alfie. I'm fat and disgusting, and I don't deserve a boyfriend like you."

* * *

"Fabian Rutter?"

"Edison Sweet?"

Two doctors stand before the remaining girls, and both Nina and Patricia look up- wide-eyed and fearful.

Patricia rises to her feet and holds out a hand to Nina. She pulls the blonde-haired girl onto her feet, and they both walk up to the doctors. Patricia is shaking, no matter how hard she tries to conceal it- and Nina's tears have already begun.

It's been over three hours since they've heard _anything _about their boyfriends, so this is obviously very emotional.

"I'm Josh Edwards, I operated on Fabian," the one on the right says. Nina nods slightly, walking over to him. Patricia instinctively walks over to the other doctor, looking at him expectantly.

"Andrew Parker. I operated on Eddie," the one on the left says. He flips a few pages on his clipboard and sighs heavily. "Eddie is in critical condition. He's in the ICU- his condition is very dangerous, and it is likely that he won't make it through the night. Both his femurs were snapped in half- we had to insert titanium rods into both legs- aside from that, his right wrist was broken, five of his ribs were cracked and bruised, and…his skull was cracked. We don't know if it'll cause brain damage- but we're going to be doing a lot of CAT scans and MRIs on his brain to monitor that. Also, you should know- he is in a coma."

* * *

Tears running down her cheeks, Nina pushes open the door to Fabian's hospital room, sobs tearing up her throat and choking her. He's in a coma. Her precious boyfriend is in a freaking _coma_. One of his lungs is punctured, his legs are smashed, one of his elbows is broken, and he's got a horrid concussion.

He looks way worse than described, and the sight makes Nina numb. She stare at his broken body, lying motionless on the hospital bed. The sound of artificial breathing filling the room nauseates her. The tube in his throat is breathing for him. It's the only thing keeping him alive, the only reason he isn't dead right now. Tubes and wires connect machines to different parts of him, all managing to keep him alive, because if it were up to him, he'd stop breathing in an instant.

He has no reason to stay with her.

"I love you, Fabian," She whispers, taking his uninjured, cold, pale hand in hers. "You need to pull through this. It sounds selfish of me, but I really need you. I can't do this on my own. You complete me, Fabes. Please, I need you to come back. You need to wake up. You _have _to."

* * *

Patricia can't breathe. She can't breathe, can't move, and can't think. It's like all the functions in her body have been paralyzed by shock, fear, and pain. She can't believe that her weaselface is in a coma.

He's not even breathing on his own. A machine is doing that for him, and Patricia can't take that. She can't fathom the idea of a machine being the only thing keeping her boyfriend alive. His battered body is motionless on the hospital bed, casted and pale. His head is wrapped in bandages, blood seeping through the wraps. It makes her nauseous and she just wants to wake up from this horrible nightmare.

She needs Eddie to hold her. She can't do this on her own- it's either Eddie or the blade. And right now, the blade seems to be her best option.

She leans down to kiss Eddie's forehead, caressing his swollen cheek gently. "I'm so sorry," she chokes out, a sob catching in her throat. "You wouldn't want me to, but I can't help it. I'm so sorry."

She pulls the razor from her pocket and slumps down into the chair next to his bed, rolling up her sleeve. The feeling of the blade in her skin is a reassuring source of respite, and the blood welling out calms her, for some reason.

"I'm so sorry, Eddie," she repeats. "I wish it was you, but you're in a coma. This is the next best thing."

* * *

**Please tell me what you thought. I'm no medical expert, but some research has been done- though it is definitely not accurate. Anyway- I hope you liked this, and _please_ guys, review.**

**-Neha**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the reviews last chapter. I really do appreciate them. Here is the next chapter- enjoy.**

* * *

"How is he?" Joy whispers, stepping into Jerome's hospital room.

Mara looks up, her eyes puffy and face tearstained. "No change," she whispers hoarsely.

Joy's gaze is sympathetic, as she walks over and wraps her arms around the fragile girl. "If it makes you feel any better, Mick's awake. They're doing some tests on his brain to make sure he doesn't have brain damage."

"That's good," Mara says softly. "I need him…he needs to wake up…"

"I know," Joy replies. "He will. He's strong."

As if on cue, Mara feels a jerk underneath her hand. Her eyes widen, and she watches, as Jerome squeezes her hand. "I think he's waking up…" she whispers, hope pooling in her chocolate gaze.

A soft groan escapes the broken boy's lips, and Mara's smile grows. "Jerome, can you hear me?"

"Mara…?"

"Jerome," Mara whispers. The said boy opens his eyes, blinking heavily, his gaze dull and tired.

"Wha' happened…?" He slurs.

"You were in an accident. All five of you. You're in the hospital- pretty badly banged up, but you're gonna be okay."

Jerome gazes up at Mara's pathetic demeanor. She's still shaking, eyes red and puffy, face tearstained.

"Come here, love," he whispers, opening his arms.

Mara shakes her head immediately. "You're already quite injured. I don't want to make it worse."

Jerome rolls his eyes. "Does it look like I care, Mars? Your anxiety is flaring up in a really bad way, you can't push that aside." He whispers the last sentence, as he's the only one of their friends who knows about Mara's anxiety. And by now, Joy has migrated to the doorway, watching with admiration in her eyes.

Mara sighs, agreeing to Jerome's statement. She crawls in next to him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, and Jerome wraps his good arm around her, leaning over- with a wince- to kiss her head.

* * *

Two days pass- forlorn and mournful.

Mick and Jerome are both in a lot of pain- exhausted and pretty confused about what went on, thanks to their concussed brains. Alfie has shown no change, and it's slowly destroying Amber. Similar things can be said for Fabian and Eddie- actually, Eddie's condition has deteriorated slightly, and the doctors think Fabian is contracting pneumonia- his broken ribs punctured a lung.

Victor has been very lenient- none of the girls have gone to school since the accident. The parents have been called, but their presences are really quite pathetic. Mick's dad didn't give a damn- he was still upset about Mick coming back to England, Alfie's parents declared him a disappointment then and there, Jerome's father couldn't come because he was still in prison, Fabian's parents were unreachable, and Eddie's mother couldn't care less. Mr. Sweet was there, however. He sat vigil beside Eddie's bed for one night, and then locked himself in his office, and that's how he's stayed.

Amber thinks of all of this as sobs overtake her slim frame. Alfie's limp hand is still clutched to her chest, multiple kisses already placed on the appendage. _You never know what you have, 'till it's gone_. The saying now holds true meaning in her heart. She never knew how much she appreciated Alfie, until she lost him. Three days of hell, as she likes to call it.

Amber can't do anything, except wait. Wait and drown herself in her own misery, because without Alfie- she is nothing. Overdramatic tendencies often escape into her personality, but she is sure this isn't something like that. This is true pain, true regret, that she feels. She needs to see Alfie's chocolate eyes again.

* * *

"Gran," I whimper. "He's in a coma and dying and I need him back! I need him to wake up!"

_"Nina," _she says gently. _"I know. You love him. He's strong, sweetheart. He'll make it. He wouldn't leave you._"

"How do you know that?" My voice rises in fear, as another sobs escapes. "What if this was his intention?!"

_"Nina, you're talking crazy. There is no way Fabian would've thought of this as a suicide attempt. He loves you so much- it's evident that his heart only beats for you."_

"You sure about that?" I whisper. "Because his heart doesn't seem to be beating at _all._"

I hear her sigh. "_You need to be optimistic, Nina. Have hope._"

"I'm not optimistic, I'm _real_. And as long as we're being real here, Fabian is going to die."

* * *

"You alright, babe?" Mick asks, running his uninjured hand through Joy's hair, as she leans into his chest.

Joy nods mutely- not wanting him to find out about her depression. She confessed while he was unconscious, and she did mean to do that. She doesn't want him to know- because it's definitely something he'd leave her for.

Mick clenches his teeth, trying not to alarm his girlfriend. Pain is flaring up in his abdomen, and he knows that the morphine has worn off. They're trying to ease him off it, but right now, he just wishes they'd pump more into his veins, because the pain from all his injuries combined is horrid.

Joy notices his tense posture immediately, turning and looking into his large, pain-filled eyes. "Mick, it hurts?"

He nods shakily. "Can't give me anymore morphine. They're tryin' to ease me off it."

Joy sighs. "I know, babe. Just try to relax. I'm right here."

"Not tha' easy, but I'll try," he grunts. She kisses his head gently, rubbing his casted arm, and the gesture brings desperate comfort. Mick relaxes into her touch, closing his eyes, trying to breathe through the pain.

* * *

His mind suddenly comes back to life, as he begins to regain full use of normal human senses. He can't bring himself to open his eyes just yet, but he can hear, smell, taste, and feel. The sense of sight is his only hindrance. His ears detect soft sobbing nearby, and he knows instantly that it is his girlfriend. He would know her anywhere. It's as if his eyelids weigh 1000 pounds- he can't bring himself to open them, no matter how much he wants to. But slowly, he begins to drift back to the land of the living- on a cloud of pure white that can only be described as pure bliss. It can't be heaven, because he knows for a fact that he isn't dead. Maybe it is the limbo. The grey area between life and death. It is only for a short time- that he is in this world- as the white and black begin to separate, and then, all is gone.

* * *

**Well? Who is it? If you've read Broken Pieces, you probably have a good idea. If not, guess away. Anyways- reviews would be lovely- they prod faster updates (possibly 2 chapters a day?). **

**-Neha**


	7. Chapter 7

**I didn't update yesterday- and I'm sorry. I had track until 5, then a project to work on, and by the time I started writing, it was already nearing 10:30. I don't know if there will be an update today- I'll try, but I can't promise it. Your reviews last chapter made me really happy- so, enjoy.**

* * *

The first thing Alfie is aware of- is how hard Amber is sobbing.

He blinks his eyes open, just to catch sight of his girlfriend- quite close to breaking down, his name whimpered out occasionally, through her heavy sobs.

"Amber," he whispers gently, keeping his voice soft. He's in pain, that's quite obvious. Some morphine would be lovely right about now, but that can wait. Amber is much more important.

Amber's head snaps up, her eyes wide. Her reaction would be comical if his heart wasn't shattering.

It all happens in one motion. She throws herself at him, and he barely manages to catch her, holding her against his chest. She forces her head into the crook of his neck and grips onto him like he's going to disintegrate in the next few seconds.

"Alfie," she breathes, nuzzling her nose against his neck.

"Hi, baby," Alfie whispers, leaning down to kiss her head. She pushes closer to him, and he lets out an inaudible sigh, holding her tighter. "I'm okay, I'm fine, Ambs. You don't have to cry."

"You're _not_ fine, Alfie! Look at you!" Amber cries, her tears soaking into his neck.

"I'm injured, yeah, but that's it," Alfie replies, running his shaky fingers through her pin-straight locks. The pain has escalated- if anything- and it's causing the violent shaking. He's trying to control it, but it just doesn't seem to want to be stemmed. He needs pain medication- stronger meds- because his knee is on _fire_.

Doctor Rieman walks in at just the right time, clipboard in hand- eyes concerned. "Mr. Lewis, how long has it been since you've awoken?"

"Less than ten minutes," Alfie grunts, squeezing Amber tighter and burying his head in the crook of her neck. She seems to notice this, pulling away from him and looking at him with worried eyes.

"Alfie? What's wrong, beau?"

"He's in a lot of pain, Amber," Doctor Rieman says gently. "His ribs took a beating, and his kneecap was smashed. It's very painful."

Amber blinks and nods apologetically, leaning over to kiss her boyfriend's forehead. "I'm sorry."

Alfie shakes his head. "Not you fau- ow…" He holds a hand up to his head, wincing and clenching his eyes shut.

"It's the concussion," Doctor Rieman sighs. "He'll have a bad headache for a while, I'm afraid. I'm going to up his dosage of morphine slightly- he seems like he needs it. I'll be right back."

She leaves the room, and Amber turns back to her boyfriend. "Calm down," she whispers, pressing another kiss to his aching head. "You'll feel better soon."

"Aghhh…" Alfie moans. "Come here, and let me hold you. _Please_."

Amber complies- perplexed, but knowing he just needs comfort so he can calm himself down again.

His arms wind around her in a death grip, but it doesn't faze her. She leans up to kiss his forehead, murmuring soft comfort, as lone tears drip down his cheeks.

* * *

"I can't believe they kicked us out," Joy grumbles, slumping onto the sofa- in the living room of Anubis house.

"Believe it," Patricia mutters, dropping down beside her. "I had no intentions of leaving my slimeball, but look where we are now."

"Why do you still call him that? It's like you're calling him disgusting," Amber asks, eyes downcast. She too, wants to be with Alfie, but there's obviously nothing they can do about it.

Patricia glowers at her. "He is my slimeball. It's a form of affection, Amber. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not like you- all coupley and lovey-dovey and shit."

"You don't have to be rude about it, Patricia," Nina mutters, wrapping an arm around Amber's shoulders. "You're not the only one with your boyfriend comatose."

"Whatever," Patricia retorts. "Joy agrees with me, don't you, Joy?"

All eyes turn to her, and a flush comes over Joy. She shakes her head. "Don't drag me into this. I'm texting Mick, and I'd like to continue doing that."

"What?!"

Both Mara and Amber look at Joy suspiciously. "How come you're allowed to text him?"

Joy gives a small smile. "His condition's improved a bit, and they let him have his phone. He can't type very fast- one of his arms is in a cast, but I get to talk to him whenever I want."

"Yeah, thanks for rubbing it in," Patricia says angrily. "Can you keep your coupley shit away from Nina and I? I don't think she wants to hear it- I for one, definitely don't."

Nina nods in agreement, releasing a soft sigh. "Eddie and Fabian have very low chances of making it through the night. I mean, it's great that the three of you have your boyfriends back- if not 100 percent, they're alive and you can talk to them. Fabian and Eddie aren't even _breathing _on their own…so please, take the coupley stuff to a different room? Or let us know, and we'll leave."

"Yeah, sorry," Joy says shakily. "Mara, Amber?" The other two girls nod, and all three of them rise to their feet. They run upstairs, and Patricia turns to Nina- eyes filled with tears.

"I want my weasel back…" Patricia whispers. "This isn't fair."

Nina nods brokenly. "Fabian _needs_ to wake up…"

* * *

Two more weeks pass, with no change in Fabian, and continued deterioration in Eddie's condition. Both Nina and Patricia are wrecks, but Trudy and Victor have managed to get permission for them to stay overnight at the hospital. Amber, Mara, and Patricia haven't been able to get permission, but they stay until they're kicked out.

Patricia sighs heavily, leaning over to kiss Eddie's head. She whimpers, sighing. "I love you, Krueger. Why did you have to go and be an idiot, huh? You're gonna kill me. And I'm not joking, love. I'm so tempted to kill myself right now- I very well could- the blade is in my pocket."

She feels another tear run down her cheek, and she just looks at Eddie's expressionless, pale face, as the tears start to come faster and faster. Her blade itches, and she finally succumbs, pulling the razor from her pocket and pressing it to her wrist.

* * *

**I'll try to get a chapter up tonight- but I don't know how successful I'll be with that. I'm sorry- again- I'm trying to update daily, and sometimes, I just don't have the time. Please leave me some reviews- thanks for the ones last chapter**

**-Neha**


	8. Chapter 8

His hand twitches.

Nina is immediately alert- watching intently. She swears she just saw Fabian's hand just twitch- a surefire sign he's waking up. She kisses his palm gently, brushing his bangs back from his forehead. "Fabian? Can you hear me?"

His hand twitches again, and she slips her hand into it- a ball of excitement growing in her stomach. "Can you squeeze my hand, baby?"

A weak clench is felt around her hand, and Nina's excitement grows. After two weeks- he's finally waking up. She breathes out shakily, squeezing his hand gently.

"Fabian, can you open your eyes for me?"

A soft moan elicits from his battered form, and Nina's eyes widen. "That's it, you've got it. Just open your eyes…" she coaxes, a smile making its way onto her face.

Fabian moans again, and Nina watches, as he begins to blink. After what seems like an eternity, his eyes blink open, and he stares at her.

At first, Nina wants to throw herself at him. But she stops short when she notices the hand he brings to his throat. Alarmed- her eyes widen, as he begins to choke, his pupils dilated and wide with fear. He coughs and chokes, looking at her desperately, unable to form the right words.

Nina feels tears run down her cheeks, as she presses the 'call nurse button'. "Fabian, calm down. Don't hyperventilate on me…"

Her words fall on dear ears, as Fabian starts panicking even more- effectively shaking Nina to her core. Luckily- Doctor Edwards walks in- clad with her clipboard.

Nina turns to her- eyes wide and full of fear. "He can't breathe!"

Doctor Edwards shakes his head. "He _can _breathe, Nina. He's choking on the tube, because he can breathe on his own. The tube needs to be taken out." He turns to Fabian- demeanor calm. "Fabian, I need you to calm down. I'm going to take the tube out of your throat right now, but you need to relax first."

Fabian tries to nod, but Nina can see the pain it causes him. "Alright, cough for me, Fabian."

Nina watches her boyfriend- as he does his best to comply. After a few attempts, the tube is out, and Fabian slumps back against his pillows, panting and breathing heavily.

Doctor Edwards looks at a few of the monitors, nodding to himself. "Okay. He's doing fine for now- I'll be back to check on him in a few hours. His throat is going to be hoarse- that tube wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing in the world. It should go away in due time. Anyway- keep an eye on him- make sure he doesn't move around excessively. I'll be back in about three hours."

Nina nods, and lifts her hand in a small wave as he exits the room. She waits until he's closed the door, before turning to Fabian. "You had me so scared…" she whimpers, trying desperately to keep her tears at bay.

Fabian shakes his head. "M'sorry," he croaks out. "Love you so much."

"I love you too, Fabian."

"Come…" he whispers hoarsely. Nina knows that rationally- it wouldn't be a good idea to get into bed with him- as he's badly injured and she could potentially make everything worse- but she hasn't talked, touched, or even felt his warm presence in two weeks. She needs it.

So, she swallows hard, and slips into bed next to him, pulling his broken body into her arms, and kissing his head. "Go back to sleep," she whispers gently. "I'm right here."

* * *

"Shit…"

Mara's head snaps up at Jerome's raw voice. He has a hand on his abdomen- eyes clenched shut, trying not to cry. She watches his body actions carefully- his ribs are obviously hurting him, and his legs seem to be aching as well- not to mention the obviously painful concussion wrecking havoc on his brain.

"Jerome, does it hurt a lot?"

He turns to her and nods, eyes still closed. "My ribs…" he grunts. "M'sorry…"

She shakes her head immediately, shushing him. "Don't be sorry, babe. You've been badly injured- pain is normal."

He sighs. "Don't wanna escalate your anxiety."

Mara's eyes widen. She never imagined how selfless he could be. Putting his own excruciating agony aside for her mental state? _What did I do right in my life to deserve him_? Pushing her thoughts aside, she slides onto the bed next to him and pulls him into her arms, winding around his body, so he's lying on top of her.

She settles her head in the crook of his neck and leans over to kiss his cheek. "Why don't you get some rest? You'll feel better."

She hushes him when he tries to protest again, insisting he rest his worn-out body. After a few minutes, he finally agrees, turning onto his side and nuzzling into her shoulder.

"Thank you…love you…" he slurs, eyes falling shut in a matter of moments.

* * *

Patricia glances at her phone, and her eyes widen. April 2nd, 2014. Her and Eddie's anniversary is April 11th…

She swallows back a sob, forcing herself to contain the tears. Eddie has never missed an anniversary…this is their second one…he needs to be there for it. Alive, talking to her, _holding her_, everything. His presence should be felt, and Patricia doesn't know how she can cope for much longer. It's come to a point where the blade won't help.

Sighing, she rises to her feet and walks into Alfie's hospital room. Amber is whispering in his ear, and he's nodding, smiling at her. However- they both look up when she enters the room.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I needed to get away from Eddie's room…it was freaking me out…"

Amber shakes her head. "You're welcome here. I don't think you've had a real conversation with Alfie, Mick, or Jerome since they've woken up."

"C'mere, Trixie," Alfie coaxes, holding his arms open.

Patricia rolls her eyes, but secretly- she's glad that Alfie and Amber are being so kind. She's missed that- considering Eddie's kindness has been smothered by his comatose state.

She leans down and Alfie wraps his arms around her. She buries her face in his shoulder, and he whispers into her ear. "Don't give up, yeah? I've known you for years, and if there's one thing I've learned from you- it is to never give up. He'll pull through this, you'll see."

* * *

**Thoughts? Please review, I'd love to know your opinion on this. **

**There is something I want to say- I'm thinking about a new story, after this one is completed. No- this one isn't wrapping up anytime soon, I just like to start way in advance, so I have a few chapters stockpiled and ready to post, when I post the story. Anyway- it's going to feature one chapter- most likely Eddie or Jerome. I've written a summary, and I'd love your thoughts. **

**-My past is made up of shadows. Stories that I can't explain- incidents that have shaped me into who I am today. To move on, I became a different person- promising to leave the past alone. My demons- however- haven't seen my story to the end. They're coming back, and I'm not ready.-**

**So, what do you think? Eddie or Jerome? And more importantly- would you _like_ to see a story like that? I'll write it, but the response I get will determine whether I post it or not.**

**Anyway- sorry for the extremely long author's note, but please let me know what you think, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**-Neha**


	9. Chapter 9

**Important author's note at the end, please make sure you read it! Also- warning, swearing- Patricia does drop the f-bomb twice.**

* * *

"We'll have to unplug him if this continues. He isn't getting any better- the machines are what's keeping him alive right now."

Patricia stares at Doctor Parker, tears falling down her cheeks at a rapid rate. "It c-can't be…"

Doctor Parker sighs. "I'm so sorry, Patricia. He's not getting better- his heart is barely beating, and he isn't breathing on his own. His body is so weak- it's not even able to work on healing his other injuries. It'll be a miracle if he survives the night- but right now, we aren't sure. I promise you- we're going to do everything we can to save him, but I can't promise he'll survive. I don't want to sugarcoat anything- something tells me you're not the type of girl to go for something like that. This is the truth- and it's cold and hard to swallow- but if you have hope, maybe a miracle will grace you."

He nods to her, grabbing his clipboard, and leaves the room to give her some privacy.

Patricia slumps back into the chair next to Eddie's bed, sobbing silently. "This isn't fair, weasel. You can't make me love you and then do something like this! It doesn't work that way…" A sob shakes her, and she looks over at his motionless, battered body, more tears forming in her eyes.

"How can I go on without you? You're my reason to live, slimeball…I can't do this without you. I've gotten so attached…I rely on you now, and it makes me sound cheesy and sappy and cliché, but it's fucking _true. _I just…I need you, Eddie…before I completely fall apart.

The other girls have their boyfriends back- Fabes has even woken up, but you're gonna die. If fate has anything to do with this, I may as well say goodbye now. It won't save you- I don't deserve to be happy- and if my happiness is you, fate will kill you.

I'm talking to you, and it's like I'm talking to myself. You can't fucking hear me, and it's shattering my heart. I need you to wake up. Our anniversary is in eight days, and if you're not awake by then, Eddie…I'm going to kill myself."

* * *

"How are you doing, Fabian?"

Amber hovers at the doorway of his hospital room, just as Fabian glances up at her. He's lying against Nina, his head against her stomach, eyes half-closed. He's still tired- surprisingly, after being comatose for two weeks.

"Okay, but could be a lot better, Amber," he replies, motioning her over. "How's Alfie?"

"Getting better," she whispers. Amber walks over to Fabian's bedside and leans down to hug him gently. He wraps his good arm around her back, leaning up to kiss her head gently.

"I'm fine, alright?" He says gently, as she pulls back. "We're all okay."

Amber shakes her head. "Eddie isn't…"

Fabian's eyes widen, and Amber hears Nina sigh. Fabian glances at her, and Nina exhales a deep breath. "Eddie's still in a coma…they have him on a bunch of machines, and those are what's keeping him alive. Patricia's a _wreck_."

Fabian nods. "I can imagine…" He sighs and shakes his head. "Why did this have to happen to us…? We only went out for our anniversary gifts…"

Nina's eyes widen. "What?"

Fabian gives another sigh, hanging his head. "Eddie and I wanted to get gifts from the jewelry shop a few miles away, for you and Patricia- for our anniversaries. Ours is the 9th, and Eddie and Patricia's is the 11th, so we wanted to get the jewelry ahead of time. We brought the other three along because Amber, Mara, and Joy have gotten necklaces/bracelets for their one-year anniversaries, and we thought Alfie, Jerome, and Mick would be able to advise us."

Nina's mouth drops open. Amber knows exactly what she's thinking. She believes that Patricia and herself were responsible for their accident. That's crazy, but she knows that both Nina and Patricia will believe it, no matter how Fabian tries to reassure them.

As much as she doesn't want to see Patricia destroy herself, she doesn't think Eddie will make it. After all- the doctor could very well pull the plug on all the machines, and then he'd be dead. Amber knows she's a horrid friend for thinking this, but she's trying not to get her hopes up- just for tragedy to strike.

* * *

"Alright, Mick. I think you can be released. There's really no reason to keep you here."

Mick glances up at the doctor, his eyes lighting up. "Seriously? That's awesome!"

Doctor Samuels chuckles. "It's not going to be that easy, I'm afraid. You're still severely injured- the only reason you're not writhing in pain right now is because of the morphine. You won't be on a morphine drip back at Anubis."

Mick sighs. "Is there any way for me to ever play football again?"

The doctor nods. "You may be able to- it'll probably be at least six months before you do, however. Your casts may come off around the end of June, but you'll need extensive physical therapy- as these were bad breaks."

"You'll be fine," Joy murmurs, leaning up to kiss him gently. Mick smiles when they pull back, holding her closer to his chest. "So, what exactly is in store for him?"

Doctor Samuels flips a page on his clipboard and sighs. "I'm going to give him another week off from school. Keep in mind- he will be in a wheelchair, and he can't transfer on his own. You'll need to figure out how to transfer him in and out of the chair. Anyway- I'd suggest elevation. For his legs, maybe even a pillow behind his back to support his ribs. He _is _going to be in a lot of pain, and there's not much I can do about it, I'm afraid. I'm prescribing oxycodone for him. One dosage every 4-6 hours, and it should keep him comfortable. I'd like to see him in a week, for a follow-up, but that's it." He rips a page from his clipboard and hands it to Joy. "His prescription. I'd fill it immediately, you don't want to leave him without meds for too long."

"Thanks, doc," Mick smiles, shaking the doctor's hand.

Doctor Samuels nods. "Take care, Mick."

* * *

**Thoughts? Eddie is _not _going to die- let me make that clear. He's in really bad shape, but I'm not killing him. He'll wake up soon, I'm actually writing the Peddie scene right now. **

**Onto other matters- I posed the same chapter I posted in the last chapter, to my boyfriend, and this is what he had to say: **

**"Hm...Eddie**

**You can do more with him, even if jerome's backstory in the show is more along the lines of the story you want to write. Create a good backstory, make it so that his confident, upbeat personality is a mask that hides his pain. But make sure you develop his character fully before you think about writing any shit, yeah? And also…don't make it cliche like all those stories where he's cutting and patricia walks in on him and helps him recover and shit. Make it different- unique. That'll excite your readers."**

**Thoughts on that? I will most likely pick Eddie- for the reasons he's stated. But I'd love your opinions on what he had to say, that would really help me decide in which direction I'll be taking this new story.**

**-Neha**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm sorry if this chapter seems rushed or unedited. I just wanted to get something up as a thank you for all the reviews I've gotten. Enjoy. And note- I did go full-out on cursing, at least in Patricia's perspective, so beware.**

* * *

"I'm done with this shit," Patricia grumbles. Another week has passed, and Eddie's condition has only improved slightly. She can't stand to see him in that state. She can't live without him.

It isn't fair. Anger fills every crack inside her- both self-hate, and anger at the world. It's not fair that all the other girls got their boyfriends back, she's stuck with Eddie in a coma, basically dead without a shitload of machines. She needs him back…she does deserve it, doesn't she?

It's not like she's done anything particularly _terrible_. Though she's always been the second, lesser child, it doesn't really equate her decisions to particularly _horrid _ones, does it? She knows she doesn't deserve Eddie- that much is clear. He's an amazing guy- really sweet, but funny, serious when he has to be, not to mention how fucking hot he is- at least in her eyes.

* * *

"Ambs, love?"

Alfie glances at his girlfriend, as he continues to thread his fingers through her straight, honey-blonde locks of hair. He's noticed changes in both her physical and mental state- at least in the past few days, and he knows something's up. He doubts he'll get an answer from her, but it's worth a try.

"Hm?" Amber replies, shifting a bit so her head is lying in the crook of his neck, and leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"Why haven't you been eating?" The question comes- sharp and blunt- and Alfie can tell he's struck a nerve. Amber tenses greatly, her body stiffening. She doesn't respond for a good few moments, and when she does, her voice is considerable weak and shaky.

"I have been. Maybe I just wasn't hungry when you were observing." Amber avoids his gaze, and he gives a sigh, kissing her cheek softly. He doesn't want her to feel uncomfortable- if she does, he definitely won't get answers.

Alfie shakes his head. "I doubt that, babe. I haven't been asleep through any meals- you know me and food- and I also have seen you barely touch your plate. Is there something going on, sweetheart? Something you'd like to tell me?"

Amber squeezes her eyes shut, shaking her head slightly. She wants to tell him so badly- she can't lie to Alfie- but he can't know about this. He'll be hurt- and she can't do that to him. He's in enough physical pain as is.

"I'm fine," she mutters, as if trying to reassure herself, more than her concerned boyfriend. "I'm fine."

* * *

"Easy, Mick."

Joy helps Mick into his wheelchair, hanging her bag on one of the handles, before walking forward. She pushes him into Anubis house, where Trudy awaits.

The overly doting housemother immediately orders them to Jerome, Mick, and Alfie's room- eyes creased with concern for Mick. Speaking of- Mick looks pretty miserable. He's sore and irritable, sleep being the only thing on his mind.

"Ow, fuck…" Mick mumbles, as they help him onto his bed. He sighs and his body rattles with a harsh cough. A hand flies to his chest, and he winces, sighing heavily.

"Breathe through it," Joy advises, sliding down next to him and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. She kisses his forehead gently, stroking her fingers through his short, blonde-hair. His forehead is damp with a thin sheen of sweet, and she sighs, brushing his moistened bangs away from his eyes.

"I see what the doctor meant," Mick grumbles.

"Here, let's lay you down," Joy suggests, helping him to ease down to his mattress. He cringes on the way down- the movement can't be easy on his ribs.

"God…everything aches…I'm so sore…"

Joy's heart pangs for him- she can't help seeing him this way- in pain, trying to breathe through it with panting breathes and wheezing gasps.

"Cuddle with me," Mick croaks, his voice hoarse. He opens his arms and Joy smiles, lying down in the embrace. She rests her head on his chest, and he wraps a loose arm around her. The material of his cast pokes into her back, and she winces. This is all so surreal.

"I love you," Mick murmurs sleepily.

"Love you too," Joy says in a monotone. He doesn't pick up on it- he's too tired, she guesses. He actually hasn't picked up on any of the signs of her depression, but she equates that to his pain-filled, hallucinated mind.

She just hopes he'll notice soon, before she falls deeper into the black hole that is better known as depression.

* * *

"Ugh…I hate this…"

Jerome groans into his girlfriend's shoulder, wincing as his head throbs once more, sending his pain receptors haywire.

"You need some rest, babe," Mara whispers gently, kissing his head. "Please, you're just making everything hurt worse."

"Well it _does,_" Jerome grumbles. "My torso is on _fire_."

"Shhh," Mara soothes. "Stop whining. You'd feel better if you _listened_ to me." Mara's old personality is kicking in- the business-like, down-to-earth, prompt side of her is returning- though Jerome doesn't mind. He loves her unconditionally- no matter how many personality alterations she undergoes.

"Can't they surgically fix everything?" Jerome whines.

Mara giggles, shaking her head. "Don't even think about it, you idiot. Just go to sleep. Maybe you'll be thinking less crazy things in a few hours."

"Excuse you?" Jerome feigns hurt, attempting to glare at her. He tries to shift his body upwards, but it causes him more pain than anything, so he just flops back down to the mattress, clenching his eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. He can't show weakness in front of Mara. That'll set her off, and there's absolutely no reason for him to do that.

"Whoa, be careful, love."

"I hate this," Jerome repeats, raising his good arm over his eyes. "This is so fucked up."

"Jerome!" Mara looks at him in shock. "Language!"

"Oh, whatever," Jerome replies. "I'm in pain, feel bad for me."

"You're making that quite difficult," Mara says, trying to hold in a chuckle.

"But you love me anyway."

"That I do."

* * *

**Thoughts? I've gotten mixed views on the new story, so essentially, I'm not gonna decide until the entire prologue is done. I started it today, and right now it's too general to distinguish whether it's about Eddie or Jerome. I'll let you guys know how the story's coming, if you'd like that? Anyway- I'd love some reviews on this chapter- I hope it was satisfying enough.**

**-Neha**


	11. Chapter 11

**Warning for swearing and bulimia, and this is a pretty heavy Peddie chapter...I think you know what that means...**

* * *

Fingers pushed farther back into her throat, vomiting spilling out into the toilet bowl, and tears streaming down her cheeks- Nina's on her knees letting out everything she's eaten in the past two days or so.

It's no secret that she's fucked up- no matter how much confidence and pride she exudes; she'll always be the bulimic girl that shoves her fingers down her throat after every meal. It'll never go away, because of how addicted she is. She's tried to break the habit, but it jut doesn't work, and she just doesn't know how to do anything else.

No one knows about this. No one knows how she eats normally, then goes to the bathroom and expels it all into the toilet, with absolutely no regrets. It seems to work- seems to keep her from getting any fatter.

In her eyes, she's a fatass. A pig, even. Her body image is so distorted, and she doesn't know what's real and what isn't anymore. Fabian has no idea of this when he tells her she's beautiful- he doesn't know that she never believes him, because it just _isn't_ true. She's looked at herself from every angle possible, and the result is always the same- fat, disgusting, and a pig.

* * *

When Patricia walks into Eddie's room the next day, her eyes widen, mouth dropping open.

Almost all the machinery she'd seen yesterday- hooked up to various parts of his body- are gone. The only machine that remains is the one that connects the IV to his arm.

And then she hears it.

Raspy breathing infiltrates her ears, and she freezes. Is she hallucinating? Eddie was on a respirator yesterday- he can't be breathing.

"Patricia?"

Patricia's head snaps up, as Doctor Parker steps into the room, a smile on his face and his trusty clipboard in his hands. He always seems to have the clipboard with him; at least that's what Patricia's noticed.

"Eddie is doing significantly better. His condition drastically improved throughout the night- he is breathing on his own, and he is showing signs of awaking soon."

Patricia's heart skips a beat. She stares at the man in front of her, tears filling her eyes. "A-Are you s-sure…?"

Doctor Parker nods. "Looks like your miracle has come, after all."

* * *

"He's gonna wake up soon, Trixie, I'm sure of it," Fabian whispers, hugging Patricia to his chest gently. Pain pangs in his chest- the area is still sensitive- his lung was punctured, but he ignores it, rubbing Patricia's back.

"You're my little sister, Patricia, and I hate seeing you like this," he murmurs. It's true- he really does hate to see her crying. Her tough exterior has been stripped away, and it's painful to think that the accident has caused all of this.

"It's been three weeks, Fabian! 21 days without my Slimeball! I can't do this anymore!"

Fabian sighs. "Shhh. You got through three weeks; it should only be a day or two more. You can do it. Be strong for Eddie, love."

"I'm not strong," Patricia whispers hollowly. "I never have been, and I never will be."

* * *

When he can hear again, soft cries are the first sound resonating from his surroundings. He can't move, he can't see, and his breathing is hoarse and wheezy- he can tell that the accident must've done a lot of damage to him. He doesn't remember much, only that they crashed and hit something, and the crunch of metal, the bright lights hurting his eyes…and the screams.

He distinctly remembers his friends- his _brothers'_- screams and cries in pain. The thought terrifies him.

The cries in the room turn to sobs, and he hopes that isn't Patricia. He hopes that this accident hasn't broken his precious girlfriend, but knowing the circumstances, it probably has. _He _probably has. He's had the most effect on her, and he still has no idea how long it's been since they crashed.

However long it's been, it must have been _hell_ for Patricia.

His eyelids feel like they weigh thirty thousand pounds- but when he finally does blink them open, his heart absolutely _shatters_.

Patricia is a _mess._ She's sobbing ferociously, her head down, avoiding glances at his bed. Her makeup is running, and he can tell that her face is blotchy- eyes red and puffy.

"Yacker," he whispers. Everything just _hurts_, so he doesn't do more than say her name, but as soon as he does- he knows it's enough.

Patricia's head snaps up, and he was right. Red, puffy eyes, blotchy, tear-stained face, quivering lip…she really is a mess. Her eyes widen, and she just stares at him- trying to differentiate between reality and her dreams.

He's not prepared for the 100 pounds of girl that slams into his chest moments later. He catches her with a big 'oof', wincing in pain, but sighing as she sobs into his chest.

"Hey, don't cry, it's alright. Shhh, shh," he whispers, rubbing her back gently with his good arm. The back of his palm has a needle inserted into it- which kinda creeps him out a bit, but he ignores it for the time being and continues to murmur comfort into Patricia's ear.

His pain-level only escalates, but he clenches his teeth and continues to rub Patricia's quivering back, squeezing his eyes shut when a wave of pain crashes into him. A sob bubbles up his throat, but he forces it back down with an inhuman noise that he prays Patricia doesn't hear.

"I missed you so much," Patricia cries. "I love you, I need you, _please_ don't leave again."

"I…won't," he chokes out. "I love you too."

_Please pick up on how much pain I'm in and get a fucking doctor or something_, he begs in his mind, but he knows that Patricia is too hysterical to notice how tense his body is- how little movement he's restricting himself to, and how fast and heavy he's breathing.

_Goddamnit, why aren't the fucking meds working?!_ He screams in his mind, completely pissed off at the IV- which is apparently shooting morphine into his system. Obviously, it's not nearly enough, because he feels all the pain.

Patricia pulls back, and finally seems to notice his agony- though he thinks it's from the tears streaking his cheeks.

"Eddie?! What's wrong?!"

"It…everything hurts!"

* * *

**So, there's probably your first cliffhanger of the story...I think? Dunno for sure. Anyway- I hope you enjoyed, and please don't forget to review. :)**

**-Neha**


	12. Chapter 12

**A lot happens here- warning now. **

* * *

"Oh shit, Krueger," Patricia whispers frantically. "What hurts the most?"

"My head…" Eddie whimpers, swallowing hard. His complexion has gone from pale to a pasty white. A cold sweat breaks out over his forehead, making his forehead shiny with sweat. The tears shimmering in his hazel eyes break her heart.

"That's right…" Patricia sighs. "Your skull is cracked."

"It hurts…"

"I know, love," Patricia whispers. She keeps her voice as low as possible, kissing his forehead gently. "I'm calling the doctor." Eddie watches her press the call button, his gaze sharp with obvious agony. Her heart wrenches, as a small whimper escapes his lips.

Doctor Parker strides in seconds later, immediately noticing the state of his patient. He walks over to Eddie's bedside and glances at the heart monitor, and the fluid in his IV. "Alright, Eddie. I know you're in a lot of pain- you were very badly injured. Your head is going to hurt- and I'm sorry, but there really isn't much I can give you. It's dangerous for me to up the dosage of morphine." He steals another glance at the IV, and sighs. "I can give him a little more, just to keep him comfortable. Also- we'll need to do another MRI to make sure he doesn't have any brain damage, so keep that in mind. I'll be back with the morphine."

Patricia gives a slight nod, as the older man leaves the room. She turns back to her boyfriend- still concerned. "I need to let the others know how you're doing…but I don't wanna leave you…"

"It's fine," Eddie croaks. "You can get updates on their conditions and let me know how they're doing as well. Just…send Nina in, please? I don't particularly wanna be alone…"

Patricia should feel a twinge of jealousy as he mentions Nina's name, but she doesn't. The brother-sister relationship he has with Nina mirrors the one she has with Fabian- which Nina doesn't mind in the slightest. Eddie would never cheat on her- with her best friend, to boot- so there really isn't anything to worry about.

* * *

Nina walks into Eddie's hospital room cautiously, her eyes wide and her stomach rolling with nerves. Patricia did say he's awake, and she needs to see for herself. The fact that Eddie asked for her warms Nina's heart, but it's also enough to make her stop short once she sees him.

Eddie looks considerably better than when he was in a coma, but he doesn't look at all like himself. He's pale- obviously weak and broken, and the mere sight breaks Nina's heart. She almost thinks she would've preferred his eyes closed, because his piercing hazel gaze is filled to the brim with pure pain- _agony_, and she hates that he's feeling so shitty.

"Hey Eddie," she says gently, walking closer- until she's standing right next to his head.

"Neens," he chokes out- voice hoarse and scratchy. He stretches out his good arm for her, and she smiles at him, reaching down to envelope him in her arms briefly.

"How are you, Eddie?"

"In pain," he mumbles. "How's Fabian?"

"He's okay. In quite a bit of pain, but he's bearing it."

"Alfie, Jerome, Mick?"

Nina shakes her head. "I know Mick went back to the house, but that's about it. Mara and Amber are with them, and I think Patricia went to talk to them, so we should hear something soon."

"S'good," Eddie slurs tiredly, pushing himself to sit up a bit. "How're you?"

"Me? I'm fine." Nina looks at him questioningly- he is obviously the one to be worried about in this situation. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Bullshit, Nina," Eddie mutters. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice how fucking thin you've gotten?"

* * *

"They're all awake," Joy says, pressing the 'end call' button on her cell phone. "In pain, but completely conscious."

Mick sighs in relief, motioning her over. "Sit with me." He's stretched out on the sofa in the common room, a pillow elevating his broken legs and a blanket covering the lower half of his body.

Joy nods, squeezing in beside him- she leans over to kiss his forehead, sighing and settling back into his body. He's exuding a sense of warmth and security- something she's longed for- but missed. It reminds her of home- and happiness.

"Joy, you alright? You've been…different…lately…"

Mick notices her immediate tense in posture- that's how he knows something is up. "I'm fine," she whispers. "Just stressed with school and the accident and shit."

Mick sighs. She's a terrible liar. He can always tell when she's not telling the truth, and that's exactly what's happening now. He doesn't want to start something, so he just nods and brings her closer to his chest. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll be here when you wake up."

* * *

"Eddie's awake."

That's music to Jerome's ears, as he stares at Patricia. She looks happy- an emotion he hasn't seen on her face for a long while.

"That's awesome," he says. "How is he?"

Patricia's facial expression deteriorates slightly. "He's in rough shape- in a lot of pain…he was crying…"

Jerome sighs. "C'mere, Trixie." It's no secret that he and Patricia have the strongest friendship out of all of them. He's known her for over ten years, and it was because of him that she opened up about her past. She's close to Fabian and Alfie as well, but he has the closest relationship with her- if Eddie isn't factored in.

Patricia steps over to him and he wraps his arms around her, wincing as he lifts his broken arm, but relaxing as the pain dissipates moments later. "It's gonna be okay, Trixie," he whispers into her auburn hair. "He's gonna be fine."

Patricia lets out a dry sob, her entire body trembling. He grabs her wrist to pull her closer.

And she flinches.

Jerome's blood runs cold, as he allows her to pull back so he can look her in the eye. "Roll up your sleeves, Patricia."

"Jerome-"

"I'm not kidding. Roll them up. Right. Now."

And when she does, everything about her arms screams.

_Relapse. _

* * *

**Dunno if y'all were prepared for that, but there you go. Don't worry, there's still more to come for this story- and I'm predicting a Patrome fight next chapter...tempted yet? Review your hearts out, and I _might_ get the chapter up tonight. **

**Another note- the new story. If I am picking Jerome- Jeroy or Jara? Which would you guys prefer?**

**-Neha**


	13. Chapter 13

**Trigger warning- bulimia and self-harm**

* * *

"I thought you stopped this," Jerome mutters. "I thought we fixed this…"

"Obviously not," Patricia scoffs, yanking her arms away from him. "You can never really recover from some shit like this."

"I still don't understand why you do this. When Eddie and I are here for you every goddamn step of the way."

Patricia stays silent, and that just escalates Jerome's anger. He knows that he shouldn't be shouting her- considering the circumstances, but goddamn, he's fucking pissed at her. "Always thinking about yourself, aren't you?"

Patricia's eyes widen. "Are you implying that I'm selfish?!"

"Maybe I am," Jerome retorts, his eyes flashing with anger. "Instead of talking to us, you slit your fucking wrists. How does that help _anyone_?!"

"It helps me," Patricia mumbles. "Helps me feel less numb."

"That's what _we _should be doing!"

"Well, you're obviously doing a shit job of it, then," Patricia snaps.

Jerome shakes his head. "Don't you dare try to turn this on me. I'm not the one carving my body up like a Christmas ham!"

Patricia stares at him, her eyes beginning to gloss over with tears. "And I'm not the one who was abandoned by their mother at five."

* * *

"Eddie, I…it's not what it looks like…"

Eddie stares at the girl in front of him, eyes burning with anger. "It's _exactly_ what it looks like, Nina. I love you. You're a sister to me. I can't sit here and let you get on starving yourself. It goes against everything I believe in."

"I'm _not_ starving myself! I eat!"

"Yeah, and what happens afterward?" Eddie shoots back. "You go to the bathroom. After _every _meal. Didn't you think someone would become suspicious of that, after a certain amount of time? You're puking up your food, Nina."

"You can't prove anything," Nina mutters, wrapping her arms around herself. "You don't _know_ anything."

"I know enough," Eddie replies. "You're bulimic, Nina."

"That's bullshit," Nina says immediately. "I'm on a diet. I need to lose weight."

"Who the _fuck _put that idea into your head?! You're as skinny as a pencil, Nina, you're _fine!" _

"You don't fucking get it, Eddie. You never will."

"Oh, don't I?" Eddie fumes. "I had a girlfriend back in America, Nina. She was bulimic, just like you are. Don't interrupt- let me finish." He holds up a hand, silencing Nina- who had her mouth open, about to cut in. "I didn't find out until it was too late. She _died_, Nina! From ketoacidosis. Too much acid in her blood. You may think you're doing it to be pretty and skinny, but it's not a fucking game. Fabian will destroy himself if he loses you, not to mention the rest of us."

* * *

"Amber?"

Amber glances at her boyfriend, tilting her head in response. She hears him breathe out a sigh, and leans back into his chest, waiting for him to speak.

"You're not fine."

Amber's eyes widen. He's definitely onto her, no matter how hard she tries to deter him from the obvious issues she's been having. "Just forget it, Alfie."

"No." Alfie's voice is cold and hard- he pushes himself up to look at her sternly. "I'm not going to drop it this time. There's something wrong, Amber. You're getting way too thin for my liking, and I've seen you skip meals quite too often."

"I'm just on a diet, Alfie," Amber mutters. "I need to keep my model figure- it's no big deal."

"It _is_ a big deal, Amber! You're not on a diet! People who are on diets don't _starve _themselves!"

"I'm not starving myself!"

"Don't lie to me," Alfie mutters. "You can defy me all you want, but please don't lie to me."

"I'm not," Amber replies.

Alfie isn't listening. Instead, his hands are pressed to his knee, and his eyes are squeezed shut. A soft whimper escapes him, and Amber stares at his tense figure.

What has she done?

* * *

"She brought up my abandonment…" Jerome sighs, brushing a tear from his face. "I'm sorry, I should be over this by now."

Mara shakes her head, reaching over to kiss the spot where his tear fell. "Don't apologize. You've been through a lot over the years, love. You have every right to hurt over this. That was cruel of Patricia."

"I pushed her too hard," Jerome whispers. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry with her, but I was just so frustrated…she…" He stops himself- remembering that he and Eddie are the only ones who know about Patricia's cutting, and even if he is angry with her- telling Mara would be absolutely uncalled for.

"She still had no right to say what she did, Jerome. It's a sensitive subject. You're _crying_."

"I'm weak, Mara. I should be stronger than this. It's been over ten years. I should be over it by now. I've gotten used to the fact that she never wanted me."

"Jerome…" Mara sighs and kisses his cheek, brushing the hair from his forehead. "You don't need to be over it. You can grieve."

"No, I can't," Jerome mutters. "I need to be strong for you. You need me right now."

"Even superman has his kryptonite, Jerome. You need me, and vice-versa. It's okay to need me, too."

"No, it isn't."

"It is, Jerome." Mara feels her heart crack at his words. He's trying too hard. He's worrying about her so much, he's forgotten about himself. She loves the fact that he's worried about her, but he needs to take care of himself, as well.

"I'm sorry," Jerome whispers, hiding his head in his hands. She can see the wince, as he shifts his body around, and it just hurts her heart even more. He's suffering, and she can't do anything to help him. She's been relying on him too much, it seems.

Mara had no idea he was hiding this pain. He's never fully gotten over his abandonment- which is normal. Being abandoned by your mother hurts more than anything. Especially since she's supposed to love him unconditionally.

"I'm not okay, Mara."

* * *

**Thoughts? Also- I'd love it if any of you BTR fans out there checked out my new one-shot, 'All These Lives'. I'm really proud of it, and giving it some love would really make me happy. :) Anyways- next chapter, Eddie and Fabian talk for the first time since the accident, Mara confronts Patricia, and Alfie finally cracks Amber. It's starting to get good. Tempting enough?**

**-Neha**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm sorry for not updating yesterday- writer's block is a bitch. Anyway- trigger warning- anorexia, bulimia, mentions of self-harm and depression. Also- I cursed a _lot_ more than I usually do. If it bothers you, I'm sorry, but I feel that it makes the writing flow better- you feel the emotion more. Anyway- enjoy.**

* * *

"Eddie?"

Eddie glances up, and his eyes widen. Fabian is in the doorway- he's in a wheelchair, and his body looks horridly battered and broken- but he's _there_.

A nurse pushes him up to Eddie's bed, and he smiles at her, thanking her silently. "Alright, if you feel pain, let a nurse know, and we'll get you back to your room, and hooked up to your IV. Don't wear yourself out- be careful."

Fabian nods again, and she leaves the room. He turns back to me, sighing. "You look awful."

"You don't look so great yourself," Eddie chuckles, wrapping his good arm around his ribs.

"How do you _feel_?" Fabian asks worriedly.

Eddie sighs. "Shitty. Everything fucking _hurts_."

"You too? Ugh…"

"Just…why the _hell_ did that accident need to happen?" Eddie grumbles, shifting position a bit, and cringing when it hurts so much.

"Because people don't seem to like us," Fabian replies, putting a hand to his chest and wincing painfully. "Sorry."

"No, dude, what hurts?"

"My chest…" Fabian mutters. "My ribs punctured a lung…and it fucking hurts…"

Eddie's eyes widen. Fabian _never_ drops the f-bomb, let alone curses that much. If he's swearing- it must really hurt, and he'd be lying if he said his heart didn't wrench for him.

"You alright?"

He nods, letting out a sigh. "I wanted to talk to you about Patricia…think…she may've relapsed with cutting…"

Eddie's blood runs cold, and he lets out a loud sigh. "I figured…it's not easy to recover from some shit like that. But while we're on the subject- I should tell you something…about Nina…"

Fabian is immediately alert, looking at him with serious eyes. "What is it?" Eddie admires his devotion to her- his immediate attention is captured with a mere mention of his girlfriend.

"She's bulimic, Fabian. She goes to the bathroom after every meal…to throw up her food. I confronted her away it earlier- she denied it heavily, but I _know_ she's lying. You need to be careful…one of my girlfriends in America died from bulimia, and from how thin Nina's gotten- she's teetering on the edge."

Fabian's reaction is heartbreaking. He holds Eddie's gaze for a few more seconds, before dropping his head and hiding it in his hands. When he lifts it again- his face is streaked red with tears. "Oh my God…"

"I'm so sorry, Fabian. The girls are falling apart…Amber's getting thinner, too… Joy's way too withdrawn for my liking…"

"And I think Mara has anxiety," Fabian concludes. "She jumps at the slightest touch, and it seems like Jerome is the only one that can calm her down."

"What are we gonna do?" Eddie moans. "We're injured. You and I are in so much pain- we can barely move, and something tells me that Alfie, Jerome, and Mick won't be running marathons anytime soon."

"I don't know, Eddie. I don't fucking know."

* * *

"Patricia? Can I talk to you?"

Patricia glances up- her eyes widening at Mara's angry gaze. Irritation is radiating from the other girl- and immediately, she knows what this is about- what she said to Jerome. She sighs, and rises to her feet- she anticipated something like this. Patricia knows she was _way_ out of line with the line about Jerome's abandonment.

"Alright, go ahead. Yell at me," she mutters.

"I'm not going to. But I do want to know- what the _hell_ was that about?"

Patricia sighs heavily. "I don't fucking know, alright?! He backed me into a corner, and I couldn't think of a comeback!"

"So, you bring up the fact that his mother didn't love him enough to keep him?!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!"

"You hurt him, Patricia," Mara growls. "You made him feel even more worthless than he already does. I don't know why the _hell_ you felt the need to break him even more, especially since _he's_ the reason you even opened up. If not for him, you probably would've left the house after one term! He's the reason you have us!"

"I'm fucking _sorry_! Stop making me feel even more guilty!"

Mara sighs. "Just…stop being a goddamn bitch. Eddie's awake, what's there to bitch _about_?"

Patricia's eyes widen. "You don't fucking know me, Mara. Don't tell me what I can and can't do- if I'm acting the way I am, there has to be a damn good reason for it."

* * *

"I...just…get the doctor…" Alfie grunts, squeezing his eyes shut and grabbing for his injured limb. Amber nods- still terrified and fearful for her boyfriend's wellbeing. She grabs for the call button, and smashes her hand into it- desperate, as she rubs Alfie's back gently.

It's only a few moments before Doctor Rieman rushes in, looking quite worried. "You called?"

"His knee," Amber whispers. "He's in so much pain…"

The doctor nods. "We're easing him off his meds. There's been a significant drop in his morphine intake, so he's feeling all the pain. There's not much we can do about it, you need to keep him calm, maybe distract him? He's going to be released soon, and he'll have to manage without morphine, so we want to ease him off it carefully." She leaves with a regretful smile, and Amber turns back to her boyfriend.

Alfie groans loudly, bringing his leg to his chest. "It fucking _hurts_…"

"Shhh," Amber whispers. "It's okay."

"No," Alfie chokes out, taking a few deep breaths. "It's not. You're not okay."

"Dammit Alfie, _forget_ about me!" Amber's growing frustrated- he's clearly in a lot of pain, and he refuses to let himself rest- he's so goddamn insistent on worrying about her, and the thought is just pissing her off.

"No," Alfie mutters. "I'm not gonna let you starve yourself for any longer."

"I am _not _starving myself!"

"Amber," Alfie's voice is steely calm. "No matter how much fucking _agony_ I am in, you will _always_ come first. And I'm worried that you have a fucking eating disorder- is that a crime? Tell me, is it a crime to worry about you?"

Uncontrollable sobs bubble up Amber's throat, and before she knows it, she's bawling into Alfie's chest, sobbing against his hospital gown, and nodding her head all the while. "Yes! Okay, yes! I _am _starving myself! I'm trying to lose weight! I need to be perfect for you! I'm not good enough!"

* * *

**Thoughts? I'd like to thank you all for the reviews- the amount is amazing, and your kind works really do mean a lot to me. Keep it up, and here's what to expect- Eddie talks to Patricia about her relapse (pure fluff warning), Mick starts to put the pieces together about Joy's depression, and Alfie's on his way home...only the journey doesn't go too well...tempted? Review for a fast update!**

**-Neha**


	15. Chapter 15

**This chapter's horrid, and I know it is- I had to force myself to write it- more like, my boyfriend forced me into it, but let's just pretend I was diligent, rather than lazy, shall we? Trigger warning- self-harm, suicidal thoughts, depression, and hints of bulimia.**

* * *

"Yacker?"

Eddie glances up, as Patricia enters the room. A day has passed, and she's just coming in to see him now, so he's a little more worried than he should be. Relapse is obvious when he looks at her- and he can't believe he didn't notice the signs earlier. He knew it would happen, he's just pissed that he couldn't do anything to stop her.

"Hey," Patricia says quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed and hanging her head.

"Babe, what's wrong?" He tugs at her hand, and pulls her into his chest, surprised at how easily he can do it- even in his extremely weak state.

"I'm fine," Patricia mumbles into his shoulder, hiding her face.

"That's the most cliché thing I've ever heard, Yacker. I wasn't born yesterday- anyone can see that you're not fine. Now, c'mon, tell your boyfriend what's bothering you." He grins and squeezes her tightly, kissing the top of her head.

"Weaselface," Patricia murmurs. "I'll talk, but…ever since you woke up…we really haven't kissed for over three weeks, and…"

"Right there with you," Eddie chuckles. "C'mere."

Their lips meet softly and sweetly, and Patricia swears it is one of their best kisses ever. She loves him so much, and her mind grows even more troubled- as she thinks about the hidden secret of her relapse. She hates hiding things from him, when he's being so good to him- she hates lying to him…

"Eddie, I…I don't know how to tell you this…I don't want you to hate me…"

"Hey," Eddie replies gently. "Sweetheart, I already know. Fabian suspected it. He already told me, Yacker."

A cold sweat washes over Patricia, and she squeezes her eyes shut, begging- pleading to God that he doesn't hate her. She doesn't know what she'll do if he dumps her right here.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, don't leave me!"

"Patricia," Eddie says seriously. "What makes you think I'd _ever_ leave you for something like this? It's okay- relapse is inevitable. I've dealt with serious things like these with my past girlfriend- I know how to handle it. I'm not leaving you for the world, I promise. I love you."

"What about the girlfriend you had in America?" She has to ask- there can't be a single doubt in their relationship- not one.

"Yacker, she's dead," Eddie reassures her. "She died from bulimia."

"Oh my God…I'm _so _sorry, Eddie…" Patricia feels immense guilt run through her veins- why should she be so suspicious? Eddie has proven himself faithful more than once.

"No, it's okay, don't apologize. I wasn't successful with her, but I want to be successful with you. So, I need you to be completely honest with me. Are the suicidal thoughts back, sweetheart?"

Patricia nods silently, tears streaking her cheeks. "I'm sorry…"

"Hush, don't worry about it. You'll get out of this, I promise. I love you."

* * *

"Yay, school…" Joy mutters, straightening her tie. She walks over to where Mick's sitting, and leans down to button his jacket for him, as one of his arms is fully casted.

"It won't be that bad. If I have to leave, Sweetie said you could too, y'know, since I can't do fucking _anything_ on my own," Mick replies, leaning up to touch his lips to hers.

"Aw, poor dependent Mick," Joy teases, walking around to the back of his wheelchair, and grabbing the handles. "Let's get you to school."

The walk to school is long and irritating- because Joy wishes they could go a lot faster than they actually are. When they finally reach the school, it's still early- Sweetie did say they could come in early, so she wouldn't have problems navigating Mick's wheelchair throughout the halls of traffic.

Mick sighs, as Joy parks his wheelchair in front of their lockers. He knows there's something going on with her. She looks nothing like herself anymore. A lot more withdrawn, more subtle and quiet- Mick knows there's something wrong, and he tries to add up her symptoms in his head- to form a formidable explanation.

Sadness, crying, restlessness, and fatigue…it's starting to add up in his mind. The pieces are slowly beginning to come together, and Mick's eyes widen in realization of the conclusion. It all makes sense now, Joy's symptoms can only point to one thing.

_Depression_.

* * *

"Alright, Alfie. You look ready to get out of here."

"I feel ready," Alfie mutters. "Actually, I feel like utter shit."

Doctor Rieman sighs. "Basically, just rest. Get a lot of it- you're going to be in a lot of pain. Elevate your knee- that'll keep the swelling and pain down. I've got pain med prescriptions for Amber, and those should keep you comfortable. Don't stress yourself out- and I want to see you in a couple weeks for a follow-up."

"Right, thanks," Alfie replies, as Doctor Rieman hands Amber a couple sheets of paper.

"You're quite welcome, Alfie. Be careful."

In the next few minutes, Alfie is brought out of the hospital and toward the taxi that'll take them home. It's quite a process to get him into the vehicle, but once he's in, a wave of relief washes over them all. Amber scoots in beside him, and kisses his cheek, laying her head on his shoulder.

The car accelerates forward, and Alfie sighs softly, his eyes drifting shut. This is peaceful- he can hear Amber's soft breathing against his shoulder,

Everything's going fine, until the car comes to a screeching halt, and Alfie's eyes snap open. He looks up, and his corneas widen. Their taxi driver is swerving in every direction known to man, and the sick feeling in Alfie's stomach heightens- he's not too keen on this taxi driver's driving skills.

Another sharp turn jolts his ribs, and he winces, wrapping his good arm around his ribcage. Before he knows it- the sound of crunching metal fills his ears, and he's reminded of why he's so badly injured in the first place.

That's his last coherent thought- before everything fades into darkness.

* * *

**I know what you're all thinking, and don't worry, this is gonna add a surprising twist to the story. Thoughts? Please continue reviewing- it makes me happy :) Next chapter- Fabina confrontation, we find out about Alfie and Amber, and Jerome's released, but something's up with Mara, and no one knows what it is.**

**-Neha**


	16. Chapter 16

**Trigger warning- bulimia. **

* * *

"Come here, Nina."

Fabian looks at his girlfriend sadly, taking in her emaciated figure. He can see exactly what Eddie meant about the bulimia. She may be eating, but she's throwing everything up- including stomach acid- which has to be ripping up her throat. She could lose her voice permanently soon.

"I'll crush you," Nina mutters emotionlessly, and Fabian's heart breaks. He has no idea why she thinks she's obese, but she definitely _isn't_.

"Stop that. I want to hold you- come here." Nina sighs, and finally throws herself into his arms. Fabian pulls her as close as humanely possible, kissing the side of her head. "I love you- you know that, right?"

Nina nods silently, pushing her head farther into the crook of my neck. "And I love you back."

"Nina, love, Eddie told me. About your conversation."

Nina stiffens. If my arms weren't around her, she probably would have bolted, and the fact leaves me sighing. "I know you're bulimic, sweetheart, and I'm going to do whatever I can to help you through it. You're not alone, love. I promise- I won't leave you."

"I'm not bulimic, Fabian. I'm just on a diet, and sometimes, I slip up- so I need to punish myself."

"You are in _no_ way fat, Nina. You don't need to lose weight- if anything; you're much too thin. It's scaring me, Nina. I don't want to lose you, the way Eddie lost his girlfriend. If that happened…I think…" Fabian trails off, staring at a blank spot on the wall.

"You think what?" Nina asks.

Fabian sighs. "I think that I would kill myself. No- I _know_ that I would kill myself- with no second thoughts concerning it."

* * *

When Amber opens her eyes, she's in a hospital bed.

Her first instinct is to scream- but she doesn't- instead looking over to her left. Her eyes widen, and a shriek escapes her mouth. Alfie's back in a hospital bed as well- head wrapped tightly with bandages. He's unconscious again, and Amber's heart sinks. Did they seriously get into another car accident?

"Miss Millington?"

"Oh, hey doctor Rieman," Amber says sadly. "What's the damage?" She glances over at Alfie's bed, eyeing him worriedly. It doesn't look like he broke anything else, which is good- three of his limbs are already broken- and that's three too many.

"You have a minor concussion, and a sprained wrist. Alfie hit his head…he has a major concussion, and we're trying to test for brain damage and memory loss. Otherwise- his ribs were jarred around, but nothing major. I didn't expect to see you guys back here so early…"

"Stupid taxi driver," Amber grumbles, sitting up. "Can I go over there? I need him…"

"Normally, I'd say no, but…I'll make an exception. Hang on; I need to take your IV out. It'll hurt, so brace yourself." The doctor pulls the needle from the spot before her wrist, and Amber cringes.

"Why is it put there in the first place? That fucking hurt," she grumbles, sliding off her bed, and walking over to Alfie's bed. She stares at her boyfriend with tears building in her eyes. He looks so pale- so small underneath all those casts. It breaks her heart- his body is so battered and broken- she doesn't know how he'll recover, at this rate.

"I love you," she whispers, kissing his bandaged forehead. "I still don't know how, or why, this happened, but I know that I love you, at any cost. I'm broken, and I need you, but you need me too. I just can't lose you, Alfie. Why is it that I have to cope with you being unconscious? I don't know how Patricia did it- Eddie was in a coma for three weeks, and she still managed to hold herself together. But I am not Patricia…I'm me. And I can't hold on for much longer."

* * *

Jerome is scared.

No, scratch that- Jerome is _terrified. _He's just heard of what happened to Alfie and Amber, while they were on their way home from the hospital, and now he's having second thoughts on his own release. Mara has her head on his shoulder, rapidly texting Amber for details on the situation. She's obviously worried- and Jerome is too. Alfie is his best friend.

"What's Amber saying?"

"Alfie's unconscious, he hit his head. She's fine- minor concussion and a sprained wrist," Mara sighs, snapping her phone shut. "Goddammit, why do these things always happen to us?"

"Because we were never destined to be happy," Jerome grumbles, throwing his head back. "Everything hurts and my best friend is fucking unconscious again. Life is shit."

"I'd normally reprimand you about your language, but I agree with you, so I can't really do that. Amber's a mess- I don't know…"

"Hey," Jerome whispers. "Go to her. She needs someone right now, and you need to be that someone. I'm fine- I'll text you when I'm ready to go- I still have to change, and get instructions from the doctor, all that shit."

"Really?" Mara asks, her eyes glassing over with tears.

Jerome nods. "Go ahead. I'm not going anywhere."

Mara thumps him on the forehead. "Idiot."

"That _hurt_," Jerome whines.

"I'm glad it did," Mara replies. "See you soon." She gets off the bed and walks out the door- and it reopens for Doctor Parker to step into the room.

"Hey, Jerome. How are you feeling?"

"Like utter crap," I sigh. "Why does it hurt so much?"

"Because you've got barely any morphine in your system. We needed to ease you off that- you won't have an IV drip back at Anubis house. I want you to get a lot of rest- you'll be in a wheelchair for a while. I'm prescribing pain killers- they'll keep you comfortable, but you'll still feel the pain."

"This is just fucking awesome," Jerome groans, as he takes the piece of paper. "Everything hurts."

"It should start to get better in the next few days. The meds will help- so I'd suggest getting that prescription filled as soon as possible. You're going to be okay, Jerome. The road to recovery is long- but I'm certain that you'll be back to normal in no time."

* * *

**Thoughts? I'm thinking this story will be jut above twenty chapters, just as a head's up. Also- do you guys think you could get me to 75 reviews? That would make me extremely happy :) It'll also get you the next chapter faster- this one fast forwards a month, so the guys are all home. Fabina fight, emotional Peddie, Joy kinda...disappears. And since you didn't really get what was wrong with Mara here, it'll be much more prominent in the next chapter. **

**-Neha**


	17. Chapter 17

**Writer's block is the only thing you can blame for the incessantly log wait- I'm really sorry, guys. The amount of reviews made my day- thank you so much. Trigger warnings- depression, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, anxiety, and bulimia.**

* * *

"Patricia, seriously! How can I help you, when all you're gonna do is push me away?!"

Eddie stares at his girlfriend, awaiting her answer. He's trying to help her- trying to find out the source of her cutting- he's ready to murder anyone that has hurt her- but she's shutting up, and shutting him out. He can't do anything, if he doesn't _know_ anything. His skull his cracked and his brain is fuzzy, but that doesn't mean he won't help her.

"You've got enough to deal with, Eddie! You snapped both your femurs in _half_! It'll be _six months _before you can start walking again!"

Eddie stares at her, his eyes flashing. "I _love_ you. Just because I'm injured, doesn't mean that'll ever change! I'd die for you, Patricia, I'd take a fucking _bullet_ for you! If you're being hurt, I wanna do whatever I can to help! But the person that's hurting you _is_ you! You need to let me in!"

Patricia holds his gaze, her glassy-eyed stare breaking his heart. He doesn't understand why she feels the need to build so many walls around herself. She's holding too much in, and it'll have dire consequences if she keeps it up.

"I'm a _mess_," she whispers. "I'm so broken and damaged, you won't want me, Eddie. That's why I haven't told you. You'll leave me, and I don't think I can handle that. I don't want to lose you, but if I tell you everything, I probably will. I can't go through that- it'll hurt so much, and I'm in no way prepared. Those three weeks you were comatose was absolute _hell_ for me- that's why I cut so much. I need you- I fucking _rely_ on you, and I can't deal with you leaving me."

"Yacker," Eddie says gently. "I love you. And I don't care what happened before- or what you've been through- I will _always_ love you the same. You're perfect in my eyes, and you always will be. How about you come here, and tell me what's bothering you, hm? That'll make you feel better, and then we can go to sleep, and everything'll be good."

Patricia nods shakily, lowering herself down onto his chest, and sliding her head into the crook of his neck. She catches his wince as his body shifts, but he relaxes moments later, nuzzling into her hair, and pressing kisses to her head.

"It goes like this…"

* * *

"You just threw up, didn't you?"

Fabian's gaze is cold, as he watches his girlfriend emerge from the bathroom- pale and withdrawn, eyes averted.

Nina meets his gaze, shaking her head slightly. "No."

Her voice is hoarse- which gives it away in a matter of seconds. Fabian isn't exactly angry at her for purging- he's more pissed about the lie she told. He wants her to be completely honest with him- it's the only way she can start to recover. Lying will get her _nowhere_.

"Nina, I wasn't born yesterday," Fabian mutters. "Any goddamn person can tell you just purged. I'm not mad that you did- though I do want to know why- but I _am_ mad that you've resorted to _lying_ about it. Is it that hard to be honest with me?"

Nina glares at him. "Yeah, right. Like it's so damn _easy _to tell my boyfriend that I just purged my lunch. What, did you want me to go- 'Hey Fabes! Guess what I just did? I threw up everything in my stomach on _purpose_!'"

"No need to get sarcastic," Fabian replies. "I just want honesty- and if you can't give me that, then don't _lie_ about something like this. Eddie's girlfriend_ died_ from bulimia, Nina, doesn't that change _something_ in you?!"

"His former girlfriend- because last time I checked, Patricia is alive and well," Nina says snippily. "And she was _weak_. I can handle it- I'm _fine_!"

"Weak? Every human body is the _same_! Acid buildup in the system will _kill_ you! Not to mention the numerous other things that can go wrong! Just…why the hell do you feel the need to do this to yourself?! You're _perfect_. You don't need to be thinner."

"You obviously don't understand girls, Fabian. You wouldn't- you don't give a damn about what you eat, and you stay as fit as humanly _possible_! Girls don't have it that easy- whatever we eat shows up on the goddamn scale hours later!"

"I may not understand girls, but I damn well understand when someone is killing themselves gradually, and god fucking dammit Nina, you're on the fucking path. If you keep this up, you're gonna die, and there won't be anything I can do for you!"

"Why is it that you always have to _save_ me?! I'm not your goddamn damsel in distress! I don't need to be saved!"

Fabian stares at her. "So you just want me to sit back and fucking _watch_ you kill yourself?!"

"That's exactly what I want."

* * *

Jerome is jolted awake by brunt force hitting his chest. His eyes snap open, blinking heavily and almost closing at the afternoon sun burning into his retinas. He perseveres, glancing down and wishing he hadn't.

Mara's obviously in the throes of a nightmare, thrashing wildly, and hitting his chest in the midst. He feels his damp shirt stick to his body, so she was obviously sweating, and he knows this is all results of severe anxiety symptoms- she's a mess, and he hates to see her in the state.

"Mara, love," he whispers, shaking her gently- trying to rouse her from the nap they had both previously been taking. She moans and bats at his casted arm, causing him to wince. "Come on, wake up, Mars."

After a good five minutes, Mara starts to stir, his eyes widening as she sits up- ramrod straight, breathing heavily. She glances at him, and almost bursts into tears. "That was terrifying…"

Jerome sighs. "The usual?"

Mara nods, burying her face in his chest. He rubs her back gently, leaning down to kiss her head. "I think there's something wrong, Mara- this shouldn't be happening so often…I'm worried about you…"

Mara lets out a loud whimper. "I'm fine…just…I don't know how much longer I can take this…it's starting to take over my life…"

"I know," Jerome whispers. "I know… We should take you to a doctor, I don't like how this is affecting you…" He sighs heavily, bringing her closer to his chest. "I'll tell Trudy to book something for tomorrow. We're going to get this checked out."

* * *

"Guys? Anyone seen Joy?"

Mick wheels himself into the common room, fear bubbling in his stomach. It's been a couple hours since he's seen his girlfriend, and it's starting to seriously freak him out. She didn't take her phone- nor did she leave anything telling him where she was going.

"No, sorry mate. She missing or something?" Alfie replies, wincing as he holds a hand to his aching head.

"Yeah," Mick replies nervously. "She didn't leave a note, and I haven't seen her in a couple hours."

"Maybe she's at school. C'mon, we'll help you look," Alfie offers. Amber rises to her feet, and he whispers something in her ear, to which she nods, grabbing the handles of his wheelchair.

"You sure she went to school?"

Alfie shakes his head. "I dunno. There's a certain spot…Amber and I know where it is. She used to go there all the time to clear her head- it's quite possible she's there."

Mick straightens, turning around and wheeling out of the house entrance. "Lead the way, guys."

Amber glances back at him. "It's grass- might be a little hard to turn your wheels. We'll go slow."

Mick nods, following them across a large stretch of grass. He observes his surroundings carefully, watching for any sign that Joy was there. It's not like her to go off on her own- especially considering the circumstances, and his worry meter elevates a little higher- considering her obvious depression. Depression and suicide are linked, and he's definitely terrified at the mere thought of something happening to Joy.

"Well, here we are," Alfie mumbles, as Amber presses the brake on his chair. "Do you see anything?"

Mick starts to shake his head, but something catches his eye. A feeling of dread settles in his stomach, as a cold sweat washes over his body.

"JOY!"

* * *

**So...what happened to Joy? Leave your guesses in reviews- I can't tell you if you're right, but the answer isn't that hard to figure out :) Oh, and one more thing- two more chapters left. The aftermath of this, and then an epilogue- I'm sorry to have to end the story so quickly, but I have _no more _ideas- all my ideas are for my Austin and Ally story- _Broken_, and its sequel, _Recovery_- which- if you are an Austin and Ally fan, you should definitely check out! :) Anyway- thank you guys for being so patient, and reviews would be lovely.  
**

**-Neha**


	18. Chapter 18

**Trigger warning- suicide, self-harm, depression, and mentions of eating disorders.**

* * *

Amber lets out a loud shriek, as she races over in the direction Mick is pointing in. She drops to her knees beside her best friend, her eyes wide with fear, tears already beginning to pool in them.

Joy is unconscious against the tree trunk, her left wrist stretched out. A long cut, running the entire length of her forearm is still bleeding, the blood gushing out onto the grass.

_She tried to kill herself_.

The thought pangs in Amber's head, as the tears break through and begin to fall down her cheeks.

Mick wheels himself up to them, his face paling dramatically at the sight of his limp girlfriend. "Call a fucking ambulance!"

"Guys? A little help here!" Alfie calls, his eyes wide with worry.

Amber takes out her phone and dials 999, explaining the situation, and sighing gratefully when she hears that an ambulance will be sent over. She hangs up her phone, and by that time, Mick has managed to scoop Joy into his arms, using his shirt to try and stop the blood, while crying into her hair.

"I'll be back," Amber says shakily, rushing back over to Alfie. He looks at her frantically as she explains the situation, his face whitening with each oncoming word.

"Oh my god…" he mutters.

"We need to tell the others, and Trudy and Victor and Mr. Sweet and oh god…" Amber rambles, wringing her hands worriedly. She doesn't know what to do- her thoughts are in no way coherent- all she can think about is the image of Joy against the tree, unconscious.

"Ambs," Alfie says gently. He pulls her down to sit on his lap, and wraps his arms around her. "Calm down. You have your phone, right? We'll text Patricia, and ask her to pass on the message. It's all gonna be okay."

"But Joy, she-"

"I know," Alfie murmurs. "I know."

* * *

"How is she?"

Mick's words of worry are laced with panic, as he looks at Victor. They're all in the hospital waiting room- worried as fucking hell. Well, most of them. Eddie and Alfie seem to have gotten over their shock, and they're working to calm all the girls down. Mick hasn't helped at all- but considering that Joy is _his_ girlfriend, he has a goddamn right to be a wreck. He's been crying, that's for sure. He can't lose her- he loves Joy so much, and if she dies, he'll probably follow.

"She's still in surgery," Victor says crisply. "They refuse to tell me anything else. Go back to your friends, Mick. We won't know anything in the next half hour- they said it could take some time."

Mick wants to scream at him. He wants to take out all the pent-up rage on their housekeeper, but he knows that that'll just make the situation worse, so he keeps his mouth shut, turning and wheeling himself over to where Patricia and Eddie are.

Eddie's wheelchair is cumbersome and bulky, because both his legs need to be up. His legs are both in straight plaster casts, making mobility difficult for the American. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it- however, Patricia is curled onto his lap, crying into his chest, and he's doing his best to reassure her, murmuring soothing words and pressing continual kisses to her head.

He glances up as Mick approaches, his gaze laced with concern. "How're you holding up?"

"Wonderful, considering my girlfriend is in surgery to save her _life_," Mick snaps sarcastically. He winces when he hears Patricia whimper at his harsh words, curling farther into Eddie's chest. The blonde whispers something into her ear, before sighing and returning his gaze to his distressed friend.

"You can't think like that, Mick," he says gently. "You don't know what's going to happen. Joy's strong- she'll pull through."

"Yeah, she's stubborn and headstrong," Mick agrees. "And she wanted to die, and she's gonna get her fucking wish! When she sets out to do something, it happens! She's gonna die!"

"Hey," Eddie soothes. "You need to stay positive. If you keep believing that she's gonna die, she will. But if you believe that she'll hang on- for _you_, then that'll happen. It's all a matter of your mentality."

"And what do you know about things like this?" Mick shoots back weakly, slumping in his chair. It's a weak argument, but he's not in the mood to think of a better comeback.

"I know enough," Eddie mutters. "Just relax, bro. Go get something to eat, or just take a quick nap? You'll feel a lot better about this in a couple hours."

"I doubt it," Mick grumbles.

* * *

"I'm sorry I was being a bitch…I'm just really angry and sad and scared and I don't know what to do…I need help, Fabian. I really do."

Fabian sighs, as Nina buries her face in his shoulder. He's able to feel the incessant quivering of her frame, and it's starting to worry him. "It's alright, love. I know you didn't mean it. Joy's gonna be okay- you know that, right?"

Nina shakes her head, lip quivering. "We never actually saw eye to eye, but I really did consider her a friend…she's not supposed to leave us like this!"

"It's gonna be okay," Fabian soothes, leaning down to kiss her head. "I know Joy, and she's a fighter. She wouldn't die from something like this- I promise you. It's alright- I promise that everything is going to go back to normal soon."

"No," Nina says hoarsely. "We're a mess, Fabian…"

"I know," Fabian sighs. "But we're gonna do something about it. The guys and I aren't going to let you suffer for much longer. We were talking, and you may not take kindly to this idea, but I may as well try it…"

"What is it?"

"Therapy," Fabian suggests. When he sees the expression form on Nina's face, he throws his hands up in surrender. "Let me explain! Eddie was telling us that he was looking into a therapist for Patricia- and he found someone that's specialized in eating disorders, suicide, depression and self-harm. He also found out that this person struggled with all four of them, so she'll be able to understand what you girls are going through. I know that it may not seem fun, but can you give it a try? I want to help you, Neens, but I don't know anything about eating disorders. A professional- one who's suffered from them herself, will be ten times more helpful than me."

Nina exhales a heavy breath. "I'll try…but I won't like it…"

* * *

"Joy's stable. We managed to stitch the wound, and we've cleaned her up- but she did lose a lot of blood. We're slowly giving it back to her, but she will be pretty weak for a few days. Now- this _was_ obviously a suicide attempt, so we're going to keep her here for seventy-two hours, and run some tests. She _is _on suicide watch, so nothing sharp, pointy, nothing she could use to kill herself/hurt herself is permitted in her room. I imagine you'd like to see her?"

Mick nods eagerly, warmth washing over him and relief bubbling in his stomach. He's so relieved that she's alive- that her attempt was unsuccessful. He has no idea what he would've done if she had died. Actually, he does know. He would've overdosed. He can't live without her.

"Alright, follow me."

Mick nods, wheeling himself behind her, down a series of hallways, until they come to a stop in front of a white door. A gleaming 394 rests on the wood, and the doctor pushes it open, allowing Mick to roll in.

"Only two at a time, and if she wakes up, press the call button."

Mick nods, shaking the doctor's hand, before wheeling himself closer to Joy's bed. His heart breaks at the sight of his precious girlfriend. She's white as a sheet, a hospital gown covering her thin frame, as her chest rises and falls steadily with each breath. Both her arms are connected to tubing, and her distinct brunette locks are the only thing keeping her from blending into the white mattress.

"Oh, Joy…" Mick sighs, lifting one of her hands and pressing a kiss to it. "Why'd you have to do something like this…? I love you, I could've helped you…"

He shakes his head, closing his eyes briefly and squeezing her hand. "I hate this. I hate that the accident happened, that it caused you to do this. I fucking hate that I can't climb onto the bed and hold you. I hate that you won't be able to wake up in my arms…" He exhales a heavy sigh, a lone tear sliding down his cheek. "I love you…I'm so sorry I failed you…"

"You didn't fail me."

Mick's eyes widen. "Joy?"

Joy blinks her eyes open, shifting her gaze to him and nodding. "Yeah." She pushes herself up a bit, not taking her eyes off him. "Go ahead. Yell at me."

"I'm not gonna do that," Mick says gently. "But I do want to know why you did this. And…could you possibly- without disturbing all those wires- come sit on my lap? I want to hold you, but I can't get out of this damn chair."

Joy nods, a slight smile coming to her face. She pushes the blanket off, and does her best to slide into Mick's lap, without pulling any of the tubes out of her arms. He smiles, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. "You scared me…"

"I know," Joy sighs. "I didn't even mean to do it. I just wanted to see what cutting felt like- I needed relief…"

Mick lets out a heavy breath, "I'm gonna ask you something, but you need to promise you won't immediately reject it. Just hear me out, okay?"

Joy nods.

"Eddie found a therapist that specializes in self-harm, depression, suicide, and eating disorders. He managed to convince Patricia to go- since this woman has dealt with all four, and has experience, and understands. Fabian is in the process of coaxing Nina into it, and Amber's already on board with it. How would you feel about this…?"

"What about Mara?" Joy asks, her voice expressionless.

"She's been diagnosed with anxiety- therapy won't be able to do as much for her as Jerome can. He's getting her meds to control it."

Joy sighs. "You want me to go, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. I want you to be happy, sweetheart. You terrified me today- that can't happen again. I want you to enjoy life, and you're not doing that right now."

"Okay…I guess I can try it out…"

"That's all I'm asking."

* * *

**So, technically, this is the last chapter. However- there's gonna be an epilogue to tie everything up, which I'm posting tomorrow. I hope you guys enjoyed the story, and I'm so appreciative of all the reviews/favorites/follows. You guys have been amazing, and your continued support has made me very happy. Thank you.**

**-Neha**


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue- trigger warning- mentions of self-harm, anorexia, bulimia, depression, and suicide**

* * *

_Two months later_

"So, are you ready to admit that I was right?" Eddie grins, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend.

"No," Patricia mumbles, hiding her face in his shoulder.

"Aw, it's okay. We all know how much you love me."

"Shut _up_, Slimeball!" Patricia glares at him, and he chuckles, catching her flying fist before she can slam it into his muscular chest. "Whoa there. Don't kill me."

"As if," Patricia scoffs.

"I'm just glad this worked," Fabian says. "We have our girls back. Life is wonderful."

"You sound like a grandfather, Fabian," Joy teases, ducking her head as a pillow is sent her way.

"No throwing pillows!"

"Sorry, Victor," Nina speaks up, not looking sorry at all. She leans in to kiss Fabian's cheek, smiling when he responds by pulling her into a full-on kiss.

"Hey Alfie, where's Amber? And Jerome and Mara?" Mick asks, pulling Joy closer to him, and leaning over to drop a kiss on her head.

"Amber's fighting with the mirror. Apparently, it makes her lip gloss look one color, when she claims it to be a shade darker or something," Alfie grumbles. "Why'd I have to get stuck with someone obsessed with make up for a girlfriend?"

"What did you say, Alfie?!"

Alfie's eyes widen. "Nothing, love! Come down here! We're waiting for you!" Footsteps are heard, loud thumps, as Amber descends down the stairs, and appears at the entrance to the common room.

Immediately, she throws herself at her boyfriend, kissing his cheek. Alfie's eyes light up at that, and he pulls her onto his lap, kissing her gently.

"Alright, alright. Stop before I vomit," Eddie groans. "It's bad enough that I can't fucking walk- don't put me through having to watch you people make out."

Yeah, Eddie can't exactly walk yet. The others are all either on crutches or walking normally, but since both his femurs were snapped in half, he's got a while to go in the wheelchair. He doesn't seem to be too bothered by it, though.

"What if _we_ were to make out? Would _that_ bother you?" Patricia asks slyly, her gaze meeting Eddie's.

Eddie responds by pulling her into a kiss, before they get too heated- she pulls back, winking at him. "Guess not. We'll finish this later. I doubt our friends would wanna see it happen."

"No, we really wouldn't," Nina mutters, disgusted. "Keep your hands _off_ each other, dammit."

Patricia snorts. "Like you and Fabian have stopped touching each other since we came down."

More footsteps are heard, and a few minutes later, Mara and Jerome appear- appearances disheveled. Both their clothes are messy, hair all over the place- it's obvious that they were locked in a very heated make out session.

"Ah, Jerry! Wanna tell us what just went on upstairs?" Alfie calls, leaving the others to erupt in giggles. Mara's cheeks redden, as Jerome glares at his best mate, leading his girlfriend to an empty seat. He sits down, and she curls into his lap.

"No, but I'm sure _you_'d love to detail what went on when Amber came in our room last night," Jerome responds smoothly.

Amber gasps, shaking her head frantically. She glares at Jerome, pressing closer into Alfie's chest. "You're a creep, Jerry."

"No, he isn't. He's sweet and adorable and an idiot," Mara protests, kissing Jerome's cheek.

"Ah, thank you, love," Jerome replies.

"I am seriously going to vomit. Too much cute," Eddie groans, shaking his head. "Can't we talk about something less…coupley?"

"Yeah. Let's talk about therapy," Fabian suggests. When he sees the looks he receives in response, he shakes his head. "Not what you think. I _meant_ we should talk about how it's helped the girls, not go into full detail, you twats."

"I owe my life to Eddie," Patricia speaks up shyly, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. "He found this therapist, and she's helped me more than I can admit. And he's been gentle and kind and caring and not an asshole, and I just don't know what I'd do without him. I'm not cutting anymore- clean for almost two months, and honestly- life is so much better now. I just hate that it took this long for me to realize it."

"Aww, you _do_ have a mushy side," Eddie coos. Patricia glares at him, and he raises his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, I'll be serious! Anyway, I love you. And you're perfect to me, and I'm so glad you got help. You're so much happier now, and it really makes my heart soar. And yes I'm being a girl, alright, leave me alone."

"I guess I'll go," Nina mumbles. "So, before therapy, I was throwing up everything that I ate, and honestly, I was scaring me. I didn't think I deserved the food- but when Fabian found out, he was calm and kind about it. He didn't yell at me- and to this day- I still don't understand that, but anyway- I'm so glad that he convinced me to go to therapy, because I don't know where I would be without it. I love him so much, and I'm glad to call him my boyfriend."

"Aww," Fabian whispers. He leans in to kiss her cheek gently, smiling brightly. "Thank you. You've always been thin to me- and you've always been perfect. I love you for who you are- not who you were trying to be, and I will always feel that way. You're too beautiful too starve, and too perfect to purge. I'm so glad you've stopped- you look so much better than you did, and you look much happier."

"My turn!" Amber actually looks happy about this, which is odd. "I'm so glad this happened. Alfie was right to convince me of this- therapy was amazing, because I finally learned that I don't need to starve to be perfect for him. Confessing my feelings brought Alfie and I closer, and I feel much better about myself. Alfie loves me, and I'm so glad that I have him- if it weren't for him, I think I'd die."

"No, don't do that," Alfie responds immediately. "But I'm so glad it's had that affect on you. You're beautiful, Amber, and I hate that you felt like I'd leave you because you weren't thin. I love you unconditionally- and even though you thought you weren't good enough for me- you were. You were always good enough, and you always will be. I love you."

"I'll go next," Mara offers. "Even though I didn't go to therapy- I was in a bad place, and I'm so glad I had Jerome to help me out of it. Anxiety is a scary thing, there are periods where you can't breathe, and I was blessed to have Jerome to calm me down through them. I love him, and I hope he knows how grateful I am to him."

"I do know that, love," Jerome says gently. "You were scaring me, honestly, and I wasn't sure how I'd be able to help you through it, but I managed, and here we are today- you're working your way back to being okay, and that's enough for me. I've done my job, and I'm gonna continue doing it until the day I die."

"And I'm last, I guess," Joy mutters. "So, I guess I was the worst off- I was hospitalized from a suicide attempt, so I think I needed therapy. And it really helped. It felt so much better to get everything off my chest, and it feels like now's a fresh start for all of us. New, clean slate, without depression haunting us. And I owe it all to Mick. So, Mick, thank you so much for what you've done- you saved my life."

"When I saw you unconscious, by that tree, I felt like my entire world came crashing down. I need you, Joy, and I love you so much. You mean the world to me, and I'm so glad I was able to get you the help you needed. You are my angel- and I'm so proud of you for overcoming this- you've done a great job, and I couldn't be happier," Mick whispers.

"Okay, god, now that we're done with the mushy bullshit," Eddie grumbles. "I believe Fabian and I have things to say."

Eddie pulls a box from his pocket, and opens it, holding it in front of Patricia. "Yacker, these two years have been the best in my life, and I'm so glad that you're my girlfriend. You're beautiful and perfect, and I love you with all my heart. I'm not gonna go into a long speech, because I know we both hate those, but this isn't an engagement ring. It's a promise. I'm gonna marry you some day, sweetheart. Be prepared for it."

Patricia stares at him, as he slips the ring on her finger. "I don't know what to say…except thank you, and I love you too, more than anything." She leans in for a kiss, and it's soft and sweet, perfectly complimenting the moment.

"And Nina," Fabian murmurs. He pulls a larger box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a silver necklace with a diamond-encrusted heart in the middle. "You've always been my chosen one, and these past two years have been nothing but perfect. In my eyes, you're the epitome of gorgeous, and I love every single thing about you. I don't wanna make this long- I'll tell you the rest when we're alone- but the short version is that I love you, and I always will."

"Fabian, it's beautiful," Nina whispers, as he clasps the necklace on. "Thank you so much. I love you, more than life itself."

* * *

**So, thank you all for your support on this story. It's been a wonderful time writing it, and I'm glad that I got to share it with you guys. You've been amazing, and I thank you all. I love you guys, and I hope you'll stick with me in the new pieces I plan to write. Thank you so much, again.**

**-Neha**


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